


The Luthor Legacy

by TB80



Series: Luthor Legacy [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Kid Fic, Light Angst, Practically Platonic - Freeform, REALLY slow, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2018-11-10 14:39:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 97,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11128902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TB80/pseuds/TB80
Summary: It's been over six months since the Daxamite attack on National City. The city is in the process of rebuilding, and Supergirl has never been busier. However, when Mon-El returns asking Kara for one final favor, her life takes a turn she was never expecting.





	1. The Inevitable Return of the Great White Dope

**Author's Note:**

> So, I can’t stand Mon-El, and I don’t really like babies, so obviously my brain decided I needed to write a Mon-El/Lena baby fic. Because of course it did. This is canon compliant, except no mysterious portal, and no third pod departing from Krypton. 
> 
> Spoiler: For those that also can’t stand Mon-El, he only appears in this chapter (it was a necessary evil - trust me, it was just as painful to write as it likely is to read), and then he is gone for good. 
> 
> As I disclaim on all of my works in progress; I do not have the best track record with finishing what I start, so proceed at your own risk.

 

Kara flew through her apartment window with a bone weary sense of relief. She was ready for this day, this week, this month, to finally be over. The months following the Daxamite invasion had left an indelible mark on National City.

The cleanup and rebuilding effort was extensive, and ongoing. The relationship between the city's human and alien residents, already strained, had grown even more tenuous. All of this translated into a seemingly endless well of tasks to be completed. If she wasn't assisting in removing debris from the city's many half destroyed skyscrapers, she was trying to negotiate a truce between the human inhabitants of the city, and the interlopers from space they now viewed with increased suspicion.

While Kara was happy to help her city in any way they needed her, the constant demands on her time were draining. She needed a break. Just one night where she could unwind, kick back, eat too much greasy takeout, and lose herself in some mindless TV show.

Kara reached up to remove her cape, but froze when she noticed something that her exhaustion had prevented her from picking up on immediately. There was someone, no wait, two someones, in her apartment. She scanned the apartment and quickly located the source of the heartbeats.

Striding quickly across the floor, she flipped on the light as she passed, hoping to startle whoever had thought to invade her space.

"I don't know who you are, but you picked the wrong apartment to break into buddy!" Kara proclaimed loudly.

The man who had been sitting on her bed, sprung upright and turned towards her, making a shushing motion with his hands. "Shhhh, I just got her to go to sleep. You're going to wake her."

Though his features were slightly obscured by the helmet he was wearing, Kara easily recognized the voice. "Mon-El?" she questioned. "What are you...How are you...Why…"

"Let's talk in the other room," Mon-El urged quietly as he strode across the small distance separating them. He clasped Kara by the elbow and gently ushered her out of the room, throwing a few fleeting glances back toward her bed, where Kara now realized a small bundle, the source of the second heartbeat, lay sleeping.

Flipping the switch as they walked past, Mon-El once again cast the bedroom into darkness, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Kara shook her head, still confused about Mon-El's presence in her apartment. She hadn't had any contact with the Daxamite since he had been forced to depart Earth over six months prior, and seeing him standing in front of her now, left her reeling.

"Mon-El, I don't understand. Why are you here? _How_ are you here?"

Mon-El grinned at her through the face shield on his helmet. "After the...incident on Earth, our scientists decided it would be a good idea to develop some anti-lead filtration."

Kara resisted the urge to correct his categorization of the Daxamite invasion, and attempted subjugation of Earth as a mere "incident". She had more pressing questions that she needed answers to.

Kara waved broadly toward her bedroom. "And the um..the _baby_? What's going on Mon-El?" Kara asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Right." Mon-El reached up to rub the back of his neck, forgetting that he was wearing an atmospheric suit. "After I left Earth I realized I was going to have to catch up to the Daxamite fleet. My people...need a ruler. With the death of my father and mother, there would have been a void that they wouldn't have been able to fill. They needed a member of the royal family." Mon-El caught Kara's eyes. "I know you don't approve of how Daxam was ruled, but…"

Kara held up her hand, palm out, to halt Mon-El's explanation. "Mon-El, it's fine. I understand. You don't have to justify your decision to me. Your people needed you."

Mon-El nodded, relieved. "When I finally caught up with the fleet, they were in chaos. General Mal-nor had tried to impose some kind of order by declaring martial law, but others were reluctant to acknowledge his authority, and the fleet was starting to splinter apart."

"Were you able to stabilize things?" Kara asked, brow furrowed in concern. While she knew that Earth was safe from a repeat attack, the idea of a leaderless Daxamite military roaming the galaxy wasn't a comforting thought. With no central control, the small cells that had splintered off could cause irreparable damage to any number of planets.

Mon-El nodded. "Thankfully, though it hasn't been easy. Most of my time has been spent tracking down the groups that fragmented off. We've managed to track most of them down, and they have been happy to rejoin the fleet."

"Most?" Kara asked worriedly. "Is that why you're here? Are some planning to return to Earth?" Kara couldn't fathom why any Daxamite would want to return to a planet whose atmosphere was toxic, but Mon-El was here, and she could only assume it was for a good reason.

"No," Mon-El reassured her quickly, shaking his head. "Even with these suits, a long term stay on Earth would be a bad idea. Purifying the air of an entire planet is still out of the reach of our scientists."

Kara looked at Mon-El sharply. "You've been researching a way to return?" Kara felt badly when she saw the hurt flash across Mon-El's features.

"You don't sound happy about that possibility," Mon-El replied, not answering the question.

Kara rubbed her brow wearily. She hadn't meant to cause him pain. "Mon-El, you know I wish there had been a way for you to stay on Earth. Nothing would have made me happier, but...things have changed since you left. The relationship between humans and aliens has grown extremely tense, and the last thing we need is anything to tip that balance. As much as I wish it were possible, I just don't think it's a good idea for your people to search for a way to return."

Mon-El smiled tightly, and shrugged. "Well, you have nothing to worry about. Our scientists hadn't made much headway, and once I assumed the throne, I put a stop to all research in that area." Mon-El sighed. "My people need to move forward, find a home for themselves, start rebuilding. If the invasion attempt showed me anything, it's that such an effort is probably best undertaken on an uninhabited planet." Mon-El laughed, some of his old, playful self resurfacing. "Apparently a civilization based on the enslavement of millions doesn't make the best neighbor."

"I hope you are able to find what you are looking for." Kara rested her hand on Mon-El's arm and squeezed reassuringly. "Now, more than ever, your people need a leader capable of seeing a hopeful future. Not one consumed by thoughts of revenge."

Mon-El looked at Kara earnestly. "I meant what I said when I left, Kara. I want to make you proud, to be the man, the leader, that you saw in me. I don't want to repeat my parents' mistakes."

"You won't," Kara reassured him confidently. "You aren't like your parents, Mon-El. I have faith that you will set a new course for your people. A better course."

"Thanks, Kara. That means more to me than I can express." Mon-El flicked his gaze back to the bedroom, before returning his gaze to Kara's. "That's actually sort of what brings me here."

Kara looked at him, brow furrowed in confusion. "I'm not following," Kara said, shaking her head softly.

"You're one of the best people I have ever known. I couldn't think of anyone I would rather have help shape her life."

"Whose life?"

"My daughter's," Mon-El responded, somewhat sheepishly.

"Your what!" Kara cried. Her gaze immediately shoot past Mon-El to examine the small form still sleeping on her bad. As if looking at the baby with her own eyes would somehow confirm the veracity of his claim. "How?"

"It was a surprise to me too," Mon-El joked.

"But...How...I mean I don't….How?!" Kara exclaimed, completely flustered by the news.

"You remember when Mother kidnapped Lena and I, and got it in her head that our marriage would solve all of Daxam's problems?"

"I'm not likely to forget that any time soon," Kara grumbled. The actions of the Daxamite queen were still enough to make Kara see red, even after all these months.

Mon-El rubbed the back of his helmet nervously. "Well, it turns out that she didn't waste any time getting started on that heir," Mon-El supplied.

"What heir?" Kara asked, still puzzled.

"Did I not mention that part?" Mon-El asked.

Kara crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm pretty sure I would have remembered if you had."

"Oh, well, mother wanted an heir. A prince, or princess, that was of both worlds. Someone that both people could look up to, and claim as theirs."

"She made you and Lena," Kara waved her hands vaguely in front of her, her expression outraged.

"What? No!" Mon-El was quick to reassure her. "On Daxam, they developed a way to reproduce asexually. It was almost unheard of to reproduce sexually. It was deemed...inconvenient. Genetic material from both parents would be harvested, and then a surrogate would carry the baby to term."

"And you're saying that your mother…"

Mon-El nodded.

"With your and Lena's…"

Another nod.

Kara sank onto her couch; stunned by the news. "Wow. That is...I can't…" Kara shook her head slightly to clear it. "It's a lot to process."

Mon-El lowered himself stiffly to the couch to sit beside Kara; the suit making the motion difficult. "Trust me, I was just as stunned." Kara looked at him in question. "When I first joined the fleet, there was so much to do just to restore a basic sense of order. Then most of my attention was focused on tracking down, and rounding up, the rouge squads."

"And no one thought to tell you?" Kara asked in disbelief.

Mon-El shrugged. "It wouldn't have been deemed important."

Kara scoffed. She couldn't think of many things that would be _more_ important than an impending child.

"Does Lena know?" Kara asked.

"Um, no. Not exactly," Mon-El answered.

"Not exactly?"

"She knew of Mother's desire for an heir, and that she had taken the necessary genetic sample, but not that Mother had already commissioned one."

"Commissioned?" Kara spat out in disgust. When she saw Mon-El open his mouth to explain she held up her hand to stop him. She shook her head. "It doesn't matter." Kara frowned, still confused about one thing. "But why are you here? Shouldn't you be telling all this to Lena?"

Mon-El gazed at Kara hopefully. "I was actually hoping you could do that?" He gave her a pleading smile. At one time, the look would have been enough to have her caving in to whatever request Mon-El was making, but at the moment it was just causing a faint sense of annoyance.

"You want me to what?!" Kara yelped in outrage.

Mon-El looked at pleadingly. "You guys are such good friends. I thought she would take it better coming from you," Mon-El explained.

Kara scoffed. "Oh I can just imagine how _that_ conversation would go. 'Hi, Lena. So, how have things been going lately? Say, do you remember my ex-boyfriend Mon-El? And his crazy mom, Rhea? With the kidnapping, and the forced marriage and the heir making? Yeah, well, turns you have a daughter. Surprise!'"

"Kara, I think if you would just.."

"Oh! And very soon she will likely be on the other side of the galaxy, so don't get too attached," Kara continued.

"Actually, that's what I really wanted to talk to you about." Mon-El cleared his throat. "I, um, I can't take her with me."

"Can't take her with you? She's your daughter!" Kara said incredulously.

"I know," Mon-El said, shifting uncomfortably on the couch. "But Kara, I need to find a home for my people. That needs to be my focus, not a...not a baby! And who even knows how long that will take? A spaceship is no place to raise a child," Mon-El said, pleading for understanding.

Kara crossed her arms and shifted away. Rationally, she knew that Mon-El had a valid point, but emotionally she couldn't get past the fact that it seemed like Mon-El was abandoning his daugher.

"You're her father," Kara replied.

"And Lena is her mother," Mon-El countered. "Doesn't she deserve a chance to get to know her daughter? Is it really fair to Lena to take her half a galaxy away without her ever knowing she exists?"

"Somehow I doubt that concern for Lena is what is driving this decision. What's really going on, Mon-El?"

Mon-El rubbed his hands along his thighs, before pushing himself to his feet to pace in front of the couch.

"My people will never accept her as a rightful heir to the throne of Daxam. If we had stayed on Earth it would have been different but," Mon-El shrugged, "as it stands…"

"Surely you could sway that opinion over time," Kara argued.

"I will eventually be expected to marry, and produce a child to cement the union. Once I do, those children would be viewed as the legitimate heirs to the throne." Mon-El cleared his throat uncomfortably. "It is also not unheard of for children of previous marriages to meet untimely ends."

Kara shot off the couch, outraged. "They would kill an innocent child?"

Mon-El held out his hands placatingly, but looked regretful. "It has been known to happen." Mon-El shook his head. "Don't you see, Kara? I want her to be able to live her life to its fullest potential. Free from the pressures and threats of the royal court. The best chance she has of that is here, on Earth." Mon-El smiled. "Plus, I know that with you in her life she is bound to be the best version of herself."

Kara wanted to argue further, but she was starting to see Mon-El's point. The work required to find a new planet to call home would be immense. Which didn't even touch on the work that would be required to actually rebuild. It could take a lifetime, or several, and it was bound to be a harsh existence.

However, even understanding that, Kara knew what it was like to be an alien on Earth. Essentially the last of her kind. Was it really better to remain on a planet where she would never quite fit in? A shrill beep cut into Kara's thoughts, and drew her attention back to Mon-El.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Sorry," Mon-El apologized, quickly tapping a command into the screen interface on his wrist. "My suit is just warning me that the lead filters are getting saturated and are approaching failure."

Kara shot her gaze to the bedroom, alarmed. "Oh my god! Is it even safe here for her?" Kara started to dart towards the bedroom, but Mon-El caught her arm.

"She's fine," Mon-El assured Kara. "One of the benefits of her human mother; she doesn't have our fatal sensitivity to lead."

"Are you sure?" Kara asked, still concerned.

"Kara, I never would have brought her here if I thought there was even the remotest chance it could harm her. I made sure the doctors did extensive testing before I even considered returning." Kara let Mon-El lead her back to the couch where the pair once again sat beside each other. "It wasn't exactly a popular decision to waste months of progress to backtrack to Earth."

"What's her name?" Kara fnally asked.

"Alina,"

"Alina Mon-El Luthor. It has kind of a nice ring to it," Kara said with a soft smile.

"So you'll do it? You'll keep her, and take her to Lena?"

Kara sighed, and rubbed her fingers across her brow. "Do I really have much choice?" Kara shook her head before Mon-El could answer; the question had been a rhetorical one. "You really think this is the best option for her?"

Mon-El nodded. "I do. She deserves to grow up on a beautiful planet, surrounded by people who love her. Not wandering the stars searching for a planet that can hopefully be made into some kind of home."

Kara sighed. "Fine. I'll do what you're asking."

Mon-El smiled, and reached out to hug Kara in thanks. Kara returned the gesture; the embrace made awkward by the somewhat bulky suit.

"Thank you, Kara. This really means a lot to me." Mon-El pulled back. "I wish things could have been different, truly."

Kara smiled at him sadly, and patted him on the arm. "I know Mon-El, me too." The shrill beep of the alarm once again rang out, reminding them that Mon-El's time was running short.

Mon-El quickly silenced the alert, and sent Kara an apologetic smile. "Sorry."

"How much time do you have left?" Kara asked.

"Not more than a few minutes," Mon-El replied regretfully.

Kara took a deep breath to steady herself. She placed her hands on her thighs and pushed herself up off the couch. "You should probably fill me in on what I need to know, and then take the remaining time to say your goodbye," Kara offered softly, forcing a small smile.

"Oh, right, yeah," Mon-El responded. Mon-El stood from the couch and unzipped a small pocket on the front of his suit. He slid out a small data drive and handed it over to Kara. "This has all of the data that our doctors have on her." Mon-El gestured toward the kitchen. "There is some formula for her in the fridge."

Mon-El stood awkwardly in front of Kara, not sure what to do next. His suit alarm beeped another warning, more insistent than the last. Kara smiled at him sadly. "Go say goodbye to your daughter Mon-El." Kara pushed him gently towards her bedroom.

Mon-El nodded, and walked slowly into the darkened room. Kara trailed slowly behind, but stopped at the threshold. She didn't feel it was her place to intrude. She watched, arms crossed across her chest in a loose hug, as Mon-El reached out toward the small bundle on the bed. His hand stopped just short of making contact. He stood motionless, simply gazing at his daughter for a few moments, before he turned toward Kara once more.

He raised his hand farewell. "Keep her safe," Mon-El requested quietly.

Kara nodded. "I will, Mon-El. I promise."

"Goodbye, Kara." Mon-El punched in a command on his wrist control, and in a shimmer of green light he was gone.

Kara let out a shuddering breath, and crept softly across the floor. Coming to a stop beside the bed, she reached down and gently drew back the swaddle that was wrapped around the baby. The low light made it difficult to make out details, but she could see a shock of dark hair.

Noticing a glint of metal, she pulled the blanket back even further, taking care not to wake the sleeping infant. With delicate motions, she carefully removed what she now realized was a necklace from around the baby's neck.

Even in the dark, she easily recognized the pendant her mother had sent with her when she departed Krypton. Clenching the stone tightly in her fist, Kara turned and walked back towards the living room. She had a call to make.


	2. All in the Family

Kara pulled up her sister's contact and placed the call, pacing back and forth as she waited for Alex to pick up. Her earlier fatigue was forgotten, and she needed to burn off some of the nervous energy coursing through her system.

She didn't have long to wait. A groggy sounding Alex picked up on the third ring. "Kara, what's the matter?"

One thing that Kara appreciated about her sister, she didn't waste time and got right to the point. If Kara was calling her in the middle of the night, there was bound to be a good reason.

"Can you come over?" Kara asked. "There's uh, there's something I need to talk to you about?"

Alex sighed. "Can it wait until tomorrow?"

Kara bit her lip and glanced toward her bedroom. "I guess? I just was really hoping that…"

"Who is it?" Kara heard Maggie question drowsily in the background.

"It's Kara, go back to sleep," Alex urged in a hushed voice.

"You know what? Never mind, this can wait until tomorrow morning," Kara hurried to assure her sister. Kara knew Alex would come if she insisted, but she hated interrupting her time with Maggie. Her sister and fiancee had been kept just as busy as Kara in the wake of the attack on National City.

"Are you sure?" Alex asked hesitantly, the exhaustion in her voice easy to detect.

"Yeah, positive," Kara insisted with false confidence. "I'll see you in the morning. Go back to sleep. I'm sorry for waking you two up."

"If you're sure," Alex trailed off, and Kara heard her suppress a yawn.

"Absolutely. Sleep," Kara commanded. "Good-night." Kara ended the call before Alex could ask again if she was sure. She placed her phone on the counter and contemplated her next move.

There was no way she could contact Lena until she had spoken to Alex about the situation. She wasn't even sure how she was going to start to broach the subject with her friend. While she made every effort to stay in touch with Lena, both of their schedules had been crazy over the last half-year, and they weren't able to spend as much time together as they once had.

Kara was wondered if some of that distance had been due to her revealing that she was Supergirl. Lillian's taunt at the Fortress of Solitude, and her certainty about Lena's reaction to being kept in the dark had gnawed at Kara. Not wanting to risk Lena finding out accidentally, or worse, have her mother tell her, Kara had finally revealed the truth to her friend.

Lena had appeared to take the news in stride. She had been a little hurt, but she hadn't cut off contact, and she didn't seem to hate her, as Lillian had claimed. Lena's claims that she was often too busy to meet up for lunch were also not that hard to believe. Kara thought if there was one person that had been busier since the invasion than Supergirl, it was Lena.

The Luthor heiress had dedicated herself, her company, and her sizable fortune, to helping to restore the devastated city. Kara knew she blamed herself for the destruction, and she had tried to assure her friend that she couldn't have known. Lena had thanked her for her kindness but insisted that she didn't deserve absolution.

Kara sighed. No, she definitely wasn't going to talk to Lena until she had a chance to talk this through with Alex. While she knew there was no way she was going to be able to sleep with this issue hanging over her, she figured she could at least change into her pajamas and be comfortable.

Not wanting to risk waking the small bundle on the bed, Kara levitated a few inches off the ground and floated into her bedroom to retrieve her pajamas. Clothing in hand, she floated herself into the bathroom to change. Once changed, Kara floated herself over to the couch and flopped down.

Her stomach growled loudly, reminding her of her earlier plans for the evening. Getting up, she was on her way to the kitchen when a knock sounded loudly on her door. She hurriedly sped over, not wanting to risk another knock waking the baby. She pulled the door open and found Alex and Maggie standing in her doorway.

"Alex?" Kara asked confused. "What are you doing here? I said it could wait until morning."

Alex gave her a knowing look and brushed past, Maggie following closely behind with a slightly apologetic smile.

"If you called me in the middle of the night, it had to have been important," Alex insisted. She settled herself at the kitchen island. "Now, spill. What has you so worried?"

"Can you keep your voice down," Kara asked, looking unconsciously toward her bedroom.

Alex frowned, and followed her sister's gaze, realization dawning. "Is someone here?" Alex hissed, but thankfully, quietly.

"Yes, but it's not like that," Kara insisted.

"What's it like then?" Alex inquired, still frowning.

"So, earlier tonight, I had a visitor," Kara began hesitantly. If it was this difficult to tell her sister, she really didn't know how she was ever going to tell Lena.

"Kara…," Alex said, her voice trailing off warningly.

"Babe, just let her tell it," Maggie urged, rubbing her hand over Alex's back in soothing circles. "She's clearly more than a little freaked out." Kara smiled at Maggie in thanks. Alex sighed, and crossed her arms over her chest, but remained silent.

"It was Mon-El."

"Mon-El is here?" Alex demanded, sitting forward once again, her agreement to remain silent already forgotten.

"No," Kara answered with a shake of her head. "Not anymore." Kara paused, drawing in a steadying breath. Just say it. "But his daughter is," Kara finally spit out. She looked at Alex, waiting. If she knew her sister at all, she wouldn't remain silent for long.

"I'm sorry," Alex said with a shake of her head. "I thought you just said that Mon-El's daughter was in your bedroom." Kara nodded, still silent. Alex compressed her lips together and just stared at Kara. Kara waited. "Are you fucking kidding me?!" Alex finally demanded, pushing herself away from the table. Only Maggie's hands placed firmly on her shoulders kept her seated. "How is that even possible?" Alex paused a moment, a look of alarm crossing her features. "Is it..is it yours?"

"What? No!" Kara hastened to assure her flustered sister. "No, she's not mine," Kara repeated, more calmly.

"So, what in the hell?" Alex demanded.

Kara sighed. Alex was taking it about how she figured; not well.

"When I came home tonight, Mon-El was waiting for me."

"With his daughter," Alex repeated, as though still seeking clarification.

"With his daughter."

"How is that even possible?" Alex asked. "I thought the lead in the atmosphere would still prevent him from returning." Alex's expression changed from curiosity to alarm. "Is the atmosphere clearing? Have they developed an immunity? I need to call J'onn." Alex made to stand, but Kara reached across and placed her hand on her sister's; staying her retreat.

"Earth still isn't safe for Daxamites," Kara quickly reassured Alex. "Mon-El was only able to be here because his suit had lead filtration, and even that didn't last long."

Alex relaxed at the news, but her gaze quickly sharpened and her head swiveled toward Kara's bedroom. "Well, then how…" Alex trailed off.

Kara drew in a deep breath. Now for the hard part. "Her mother is human." Alex furrowed her brow, but remained silent, correctly anticipating there was more to come. "Lena Luthor."

Maggie was the first to respond. A low whistle, accompanied by a slight shake of the head. "Didn't see that one coming."

Kara was starting to worry about Alex since she was sitting quietly. It wasn't like her sister to not voice her opinion on a subject, and if Kara was sure of one thing, it was that Alex certainly had an opinion.

"Alex?" Kara inquired softly, biting gently at her bottom lip.

Alex held up a hand, one finger extended, silently asking for another moment. "I'm going to kill him," Alex finally muttered. "And Lena," Alex added as an afterthought.

"Alex, it's not like that," Kara insisted, a blush staining her cheeks. Just the mere thought of what Alex was implying caused Kara's stomach to twist uncomfortably.

"What's it like then? Because it sounds like your ex-boyfriend dropped by to leave you his baby, with your best friend no less, before taking off again."

"Well….that's not entirely wrong," Kara conceded, "But it's not that simple."

Alex crossed her arms and stared at her sister. "Then please explain it to me, Kara."

Kara sighed. "When Rhea kidnapped Mon-El and Lena, she also took a genetic sample from each of them. She was convinced that their marriage and eventual heir, would cement her uncontested rule over Earth. With the Daxamites reproductive technology, that sample was enough."

"And she's currently in your bedroom why exactly?" Alex asked.

"Mon-El has to focus on finding his people a future. A new planet to call home. He realized that that uncertain future was not what he wanted for his daughter. He wanted her to have a better life; a life here on Earth."

"Uh huh," Alex muttered, looking unimpressed with the Daxamite's reasoning. "So, he just dumped his kid with you and took off?"

Kara shifted uncomfortably. Alex wasn't wrong, but the say she said it made it sound far worse than it actually was. Kara found herself in the familiar position of having to defend Mon-El. "He just wanted a better life for his daughter," Kara protested weakly.

"I will assume the fact that baby is currently sleeping in your bedroom means that Lena has no idea? Oh wait, let me guess, he wants you to break the news to her?" Kara nodded silently, and Alex snorted. "Of course he does."

"Babe, chill, this isn't Kara's fault," Maggie cut in gently. The detective sent Kara a sympathetic gaze. "What's your plan?"

Kara shrugged. "Tell Lena?" she responded uncertainly. "That's why I called. How do you tell your best friend that she is the mom to a half-alien baby with your alien ex-boyfriend?" Kara shook her head at the oddity of the statement.

Maggie chuckled. "That is definitely a new one."

"Do you have any suggestions?" Kara asked desperately.

Alex snorted. "They don't exactly cover this in the DEO field manual."

Kara crossed her arms and scowled at her sister. "Thanks for the help."

Alex threw up her hands. "What do you want me to say, Kara? If there's anyone to be mad at here, it's Mon-El, but he is conveniently gone. What if Lena wants nothing to do with the baby? Can you contact Mon-El to come back and get her?"

Kara instinctively started to defend Mon-El, before closing her mouth and shaking her head. "No. His people are getting restless and the backtracking to get here already had them on edge. He didn't exactly leave a forwarding address."

Alex simply shook her head. "Typical."

"What's her name?" Maggie interrupted, changing the topic before they could engage in a circular argument.

"Alina," Kara responded, shifting her attention to the detective.

"Is she cute? I'll bet she's cute," Maggie continued.

"I haven't really gotten a good look at her her," Kara admitted. "She's been asleep the whole time." Kara stopped talking abruptly and tipped her head towards her bedroom. "Oh Rao, I think I jinxed it," Kara said, looking at Alex and Maggie with an expression of mild panic.

Alex held up her hands. "Don't look at me." Alex folded her arms across her chest. Kara's super hearing was not needed to detect the angry cry that filled the air a moment later.

"What am I supposed to do?" Kara asked, looking back and forth between Maggie and Alex.

"Probably should have thought about that before agreeing to take keep it," Alex muttered, assiduously avoiding eye contact with her sister.

"Not helping, Alex," Kara muttered right back.

When the baby continued to cry, Maggie threw up her hands in exasperation. "Oh for crying out loud." The detective quickly covered the short distance to Kara's bedroom, and a moment later, the crying stopped. Making soft shushing sounds, Maggie made her way back to the kitchen.

Kara cautiously made her way over to inspect the new addition. With the exception of Kal-El, she hadn't really spent any time around babies. Kara reached out a finger to gently peel the blanket away, to finally get a good look at the baby's features.

She felt her breath catch when tiny green eyes blinked owlishly back at her. If she had had any doubt about Alina's parentage, it was gone. Those were Lena Luthor's eyes in miniature.

Maggie smiled when she caught Kara's smitten expression. "I was right; she's adorable." Maggie glanced at her girlfriend. "C'mon, Danvers, don't you want to come meet the newest member of the gang?"

Alex shook her head, looking at Maggie as though she had lost her mind. "I'm good, thanks."

"Don't tell my you're afraid of a little baby," Maggie teased, slowly edging closer.

"I'm not afraid," Alex scoffed, leaning slightly away. "Babies just aren't my thing."

"Big, bad, DEO agent, afraid to hold a tiny little baby," Maggie taunted, continuing to move forward.

"There's a difference between fear and disinterest," Alex insisted.

Kara frowned at her sister. "Alex, be nice!"

"How am I being mean?" Alex demanded. "I just don't want to hold it."

Maggie laughed, tucking the baby snuggly against her chest. "Just a bit of helpful advice, Danvers; people really hate it when you refer to their babies as it."

As if to voice her agreement, Alina let out an angry cry.

"See that?" Alex said, pointing at the crying infant. "That is exactly why I don't want to hold it, her," Alex quickly corrected herself.

Kara looked from the unhappy baby to Maggie. "What's the matter with her?" Kara asked anxiously.

"At this age? It's either a diaper, a bottle, or a nap."

"Oh! Mon-El said he left some bottles in the fridge." While Maggie checked to see if the only remaining option was the culprit for the infant's unhappiness, Kara sped over to the fridge. Grabbing the bottle she hurried back over. "Here." She tried to hand the bottle to Maggie but the detective shook her head.

"You can't give a baby a cold bottle," Maggie explained. "You have to heat it up first."

"On it." Ever wanting to be helpful, and also wanting the crying to stop, Kara took the quickest option available.

Seeing her intent, Maggie tried to intervene. "No, Kara, you can't…" But it was too late. A concentrated blast of heat vision hit the bottle, and in seconds Kara was covered in a hot, frothy, milk explosion.

Alex snickered and shook her head. Kara glared at her sister and tried to shake off some of the mess.

"...heat milk like that," Maggie finished unnecessarily.

Kara flushed in embarrassment. "Sorry."

Maggie laughed it off with a shake of her head. "No need, you caught the brunt of it. But you may want to grab another bottle since I have confirmed it is not a diaper issue."

Kara nodded and hurried back to the fridge. Grabbing the bottle she turned toward the microwave before once again being halted by Maggie. "Nope. Grab a pot and heat up some water. You have to bring it to temperature evenly. If you pop it in the microwave you risk hot and cold spots."

Alex looked askance at her girlfriend. "How is it that you know so much about babies?"

"Cousins. Lots, and lots of cousins." Maggie flicked her gaze between the two sisters. "How is it that you two know so little?"

"Keeping my alien sister a secret was kind of a full-time job," Alex rejoined.

Kara tuned out the banter between Maggie and Alex, but she was unable to tune out the continued unhappy cries of Alina. She filled the pot with water and gave it a quick blast of heat to bring it up to a simmer. Popping the bottle in, she set the burner and impatiently waited for the bottle to come to temperature. She frowned down at the bottle; this whole process just seemed hopelessly slow and primitive.

"How do I know when it's done?" Kara directed the question to Maggie a little desperately. Maggie was bouncing the baby gently in an effort to appease her; it wasn't working.

"When it's warm, but not hot."

"Right…" Kara grumbled at the inexact measure.

"Just squirt a little on your wrist to test the temperature."

"I'm fireproof."

"Right...Squirt a little on Alex's wrist to test the temperature."

"What? Why my wrist?" Alex demanded.

Maggie raised her eyebrows and nodded at the still crying baby. "Would you rather hold Ali?"

Alex huffed, but pushed her sleeve back, exposing the skin on her wrist. Kara squirted a little out and looked at her sister questioningly. "Feels fine."

"You're sure?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "Yes, Kara."

"I just want to be sure," Kara insisted defensively. She handed the bottle to Maggie. They all breathed a collective sigh of relief when the baby latched on immediately, and silence once again descended.

Kara looked at the baby, nursing contentedly, a small smile gracing her lips. She really was adorable. She just hoped that Lena felt the same. Lena. Thoughts of the brunette brought her back to her original problem, and the reason for Maggie and Alex's presence in her apartment.

"Should I bring her with me tomorrow when I go to tell Lena? How could she say no to that face?" Kara asked.

Alex and Maggie shared a silent look. "It may be better not to blindside her," Maggie finally answered.

Kara frowned. "You don't think she'll want to see her daughter immediately?"

Maggie glanced at Alex again, but the agent remained silent, more than happy to let her fiancee handle this particular conversation. "I think this is going to be a shock to Lena, and she may need a little time to wrap her head around the news." Maggie laughed softly. "Women aren't really used to getting the 'surprise you're a mom' talk."

Kara's frown deepened, along with her worry. Kara looked at the tiny bundle Maggie held. She couldn't imagine someone not wanting her. Kara reached out and trailed her finger delicately over the nursing babies cheek. "Who wouldn't want you?"

Alex snorted. "You mean besides her father?"

Kara shot her sister an annoyed look. Even though she had initially urged Kara to give Mon-El a chance, she was not the Daxamites biggest fan. For the most part, Alex had refrained from commenting on Mon-El since his departure, but the current situation had broken that restraint.

When Maggie also shot Alex an annoyed look, the redhead held up her hands. "Okay, I get it, not helpful. Last time."

Kara turned her attention back to Alina and frowned. "What am I going to do with her if I can't take her with me?"

"We'll watch her," Maggie immediately offered.

"We will?" Alex asked, surprised.

"Yes, we will," Maggie repeated firmly. "You go tell Lena, and Alex and I will take care of the peanut." Maggie smirked at her girlfriend. "Since I know how much Alex likes shopping, we can go get her some things. She is going to need more than what little Mon-El packed for her."

"We should probably take her by the DEO anyway," Alex added.

"Why?" Kara asked suspiciously. It wasn't that Kara didn't trust her sister, or the DEO, but she felt vaguely uncomfortable with the idea. The DEO was in the business of capture and containment, not childcare.

Alex read Kara's trepidation easily. "Relax. I just think it would be helpful to run some tests on her so we can get an idea of what we are dealing with. If we are going to find her floating out of her crib, it's better to know sooner rather than later."

Kara shook her head. "Daxamites can't fly under Earth's sun."

Alex laughed softly. "Kara, it was an example. I just want to get a baseline on her. We know she's not affected by the lead, but who knows what else we are dealing with. If her metabolism is even a fraction as accelerated as yours or Mon-El's we are going to figure out how to keep her properly fed."

Kara frowned. She hadn't even thought of that, and she should have. When she had first landed on Earth, she had been constantly ravenous. When Kal-El had left her with the Danvers' he had neglected to mention her increased metabolism and caloric needs. Luckily, being scientists, the Danvers' had been quick to figure it out.

"That's a good idea," Kara finally conceded. "Mon-El also left a data drive with everything the Daxamite doctors had put together information on her."

Alex nodded her head. "Good, we won't have to start from zero."

Alina finally finished her bottle and yawned sleepily. Maggie placed the bottle on the counter and placed the baby over her shoulder, bouncing her gently and tapping her back. Kara realized just how little she knew about caring for an infant.

"Hey, you guys want to spend the night?" Kara asked hopefully. When Alex looked at her doubtfully Kara rushed to explain. "It will save you time in the morning. Since you'll already be here."

"Uh, huh," Alex replied knowingly.

Maggie bumped her shoulder into Alex, careful not to use to much force lest she disturb the baby. "Of course we'll stay," Maggie answered, taking pity on Kara.

Kara smiled at Maggie gratefully. "Thanks, Maggie, you're the best."

"I call dibs on the bed," Alex called out.

Kara rolled her eyes at her sister. "Fine." She was pretty sure she wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, this took me longer to write than I was anticipating (but then my chapters usually do).


	3. The Birds, and the Bees, and the Daxamite Queen

Lena Luthor was swamped. She had the end of quarter numbers to analyze, a board meeting to prepare for, the schematics for the new alien detection device she was working on for the DEO to finalize, and probably a million other things she had forgotten. Part of her relished the frenetic pace she was keeping; it gave her less time to dwell on past mistakes.

If you could call something as devastating as the attack on National City a mere mistake. All of that destruction, all of those lives lost, because of her own foolish naivete, and desperate need for validation. Lena shook her head. No, she didn’t think mistake was quite the right word.

So, even though she knew she would never even come close to atoning for her sins, she had to try. She had donated millions to the restoration effort. Set up innumerable emergency shelters. Was on the board of more foundations than she thought possible. Had started working with the DEO to adapt some of Lex’s tech for good. Yet it never felt like enough.

Taking time for herself, to simply relax and unwind, felt obscenely selfish. Did she really deserve to rest when so many lives were still in ruins because of her actions? Lena didn’t think so, but even still, she would allow herself the occasional moment of weakness. The occasional respite from her near constant work and self-recrimination.

Lena glanced at her watch. That respite was currently running five minutes late. Lena shook her head and tried to concentrate on the report in front of her. The numbers had started to blur together over a half-hour ago. Maybe Kara wasn’t going to be able to make it after all.

Of all the things she missed most about her pre-invasion life, the time she got to spend with Kara was easily at the top of the list. Oh, they would still meet for the occasional lunch, or bump into each other at a city function, but it was nothing like it had been. If Lena was stronger, she would cut off all contact, but she wasn’t strong. Not when it came to Kara.

Kara had noticed the distance. Lena suspected that Kara chalked it up to her revealing she was Supergirl. It would be easy for Lena to embrace that misconception. To play the wounded and betrayed friend. Lena refused to make Kara carry that burden.

Had she been hurt when she found out that Kara had been keeping her true identity a secret? Yes, even if she had had her own suspicions. Did it sting that Kara had revealed the truth, not because she wanted to, but because she feared Lillian would use it as a weapon? Of course.

But none of those were the reason for the current gulf between them. Kara, with her unending support and belief in Lena’s goodness, was an absolution she didn’t deserve. It was so tempting to allow herself to believe that the person Kara saw, was the real Lena. To allow the blonde’s supportive words, and unfailing forgiveness to be a balm to the wounds inflicted by her actions. But Lena didn’t deserve that absolution. She deserved to feel every ounce of pain and guilt.

The public didn’t know the truth. The DEO had kept her involvement in the machine, and the invasion, secret in the interest of national security. Lena was finally being viewed as different from her family. They hailed her as a true humanitarian, not like her brother or mother. Having to keep up that pretense, to accept the accolades while getting to avoid the responsibility, left a deep taste of bitterness on her tongue.

If she wasn’t going to be forced to pay her penance publicly, she figured the least she could do was pay it privately.  So she did. Except, much like the others in her family, she was weak and selfish, and she sometimes still allowed herself these occasional indulgences. She could tell herself she was doing it for Kara, but that would be a lie. Lena may be forced to lie to everyone else, but she refused to lie to herself.

The intercom on her desk buzzed, rescuing her from her dark thoughts.

“Ms. Danvers to see you, ma’am.” With a haste that would have been embarrassing if anyone else had been present to see it, Lena pressed the button and instructed Jess to let Kara in.

Lena rose, smoothing her hands down her dress in an unconscious effort to make sure she looked unruffled. She was halfway to the door when it swung open to reveal Kara, smiling brightly as always. Lena returned the smile unconsciously.

“Lena!” Kara exclaimed, engulfing her in a fast, firm hug. Lena’s eyes fluttered shut briefly at the contact, but she didn’t allow herself to sink into the embrace. Instead, she rested her hands gently on Kara’s back, trying to maintain some distance between them. “It’s so good to see you. It feels like we never get to spend any time together anymore.”

Lena pulled back, laughing lightly. “I saw you just last week at the Mayor’s fundraiser.”

Kara grimaced. “Don’t remind me. Those fundraiser appearances are the worst. Besides, I was Supergirl at the time, and we barely got a chance to say hello.” Which wasn’t an accident. Lena had seen Kara try several times to get her alone, but she would always manage to skirt away, avoiding the blonde.

“They may be boring, but you do manage to attract the people. And the money.”

“I know,” Kara huffed. “Which is the only reason I agree to them. Alex insists that they’re a waste of my valuable time, but the money they collect is so much more valuable than me punching some rogue alien. Besides, I think Alex misses all the alien butt kicking she got to do before I came out as Supergirl.”

Lena tilted her head in agreement. “Yes, I can’t quite see Agent Danvers as the type that is content to sit behind a desk all day. I on the other hand,” Lena gestured behind her at her desk, neatly stacked with the various reports and plans she needed to get through, “have no choice in the matter.”

Kara grimaced at the towering stack of papers. “Yuck. Thank you again for agreeing to see me on such short notice.”

“Of course, Kara. You know I’m always happy to make time for you.” Which wasn’t strictly true lately, but Lena didn’t think Kara would call her out. When she had first received Kara’s request to meet today, her first reaction had been a happy rush of anticipation, which she had quickly tried to squash. Her second was that she would have to find an excuse to get out of the meeting. If it had been an interview request, Lena would have postponed the meeting, but when it became clear the request was more personal in nature, Lena had been helpless to resist. She refused to make Kara pay for her sins. At least, any more than she already was.

Lena led Kara over to her couch, the place of seemingly all of their important conversations, and settled herself on the cushion. “So, what can I help you with today?”

Lena watched as Kara fidgeted nervously in her seat, reaching up and unconsciously fiddling with her glasses. The last time Lena had seen Kara this nervous, was when the blonde had revealed she was Supergirl. Lena waited, knowing that Kara would get there eventually, and selfishly wanting to spend as much time in her presence as possible.

“Mon-El came to see me last night,” Kara blurted out.

Lena blinked. Whatever she had been expecting, it hadn’t been that. Lena had long accepted the fact that her feelings for Kara could go nowhere. But to say her feelings about her part in Mon-El’s forced exodus from her Earth were conflicted would be putting it mildly. The last thing she ever wanted to do was cause Kara pain, and she knew losing Mon-El had done exactly that. On the other hand, she couldn’t deny that a small part of her was secretly relieved he was no longer in the picture. In a lifetime full of not so proud moments, it was near the top of her list.

Lena knew she had to say something, and couldn’t continue to just sit there like a statue. Her friend was clearly struggling with something, and it was her place to be supportive.

“Wow, that’s..that’s great Kara. Is the atmosphere clearing enough for it to be safe for him?” Even as she said it, Lena had her doubts. Lex may have been insane, but he was also brilliant. And while she liked to think she didn’t share her brother’s madness, she did like to think she shared his intellect. Based on her calculations, the Earth would be toxic to Daxamites for centuries.

Kara shook her head, frowning softly. “No. No, it still isn’t safe for him.”

Lena closed her eyes at Kara’s obvious distress. She would never be able to fully forgive herself for the part she had played in the events that lead to Kara’s love being torn from her. Lena still didn’t understand how Kara could be so forgiving. She had never once blamed Lena for losing Mon-El, not even immediately after when she had been clearly devastated by the loss.

“Kara, I am so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen.”

As always, Kara shook her head and rebuffed the apology. “It’s not your fault, Lena.” Lena knew that wasn’t true, but she didn’t want to derail this conversation with her feelings of guilt and responsibility. This was about Kara, not her. So instead of arguing, she smiled thinly and let the statement go unchallenged.

“If it’s not safe for him, why did he come back?” Lena realized that may sound a bit cold, so she elaborated. “Does he need help with something?”

Kara laughed, but the sound didn’t have the same lightness and joy that Lena was used to. It sounded strained, and more than a little forced. “You could say that.”

“Is it technology? I would be happy to help you with whatever you need, but I’m afraid it may take a while. My time is stretched more than a little thin at the moment.” The only type of technology Lena could imagine Mon-El would want would be something that would allow him to return to Earth. While she wasn’t sure that would be the best idea, given the tense state of affairs between humans and aliens due to his people’s invasion, she would help find a way if Kara asked. It would kill her a little inside, but she would do it.

To her relief, Kara shook her head. “No, no, nothing like that.” Kara worried her lower lip briefly, before standing up to pace back and forth. Lena watched her silently, her own anxiety increasing. “Gods, this is so hard,” Kara muttered softly, and Lena realized she was talking more to herself than Lena.

Lena stood and approached her friend. She reached out and rested her hand on Kara’s forearm, stilling her nervous pacing. She caught Kara’s gaze. “Kara, whatever it is you have to tell me, it’s okay.”

“I just..I don’t know how to say this,” Kara replied.

Lena tried to smile at her reassuringly. “Just say it.” For an irrational, panicked moment, Lena wondered if Kara was about to tell her she was leaving Earth. Lena tried to shake off the thought. Surely Kara would never leave her sister. The bond between them was solid and strong, and Lena had a hard time believing she would abandon that for anyone, even Mon-El.

“Mon-El came to see me because he wanted my help….with his daughter,” Kara finally said nervously.

Lena stilled, feeling her mind go momentarily blank. After a moment, her mind whirled, desperately trying to connect the dots, to make sense of Kara’s statement, and failing. Lena shook her head, trying to clear the fog.

“I don’t...I’m not sure I know what to say,” Lena replied honestly. “How? Who? Is it...is it yours?” Lena wasn’t sure how that would be possible, but then, she didn’t know a whole lot about alien reproduction either.

Kara shook her head. “No, not mine,” Kara answered, still looking at Lena nervously.

“Then why would he bring her to you?”

Kara reached up and adjusted her glasses. “Do you remember when Rhea kidnapped you?”

Lena laughed tightly. “Vaguely, yes.” Try as she might, and she had tried, it wasn’t likely something she was ever going to forget.

“And she said how she wanted an heir….” Kara trailed off, letting the statement hang between them. The way the blonde was looking at her, Lena knew she was expecting Lena to understand her meaning.

Her mind spun, frantically trying to remember the details. She did her best to try not to think about the abduction. How she had let her pathetic need for acceptance and praise, lead her into a trap.

Slowly, the pieces came back to her, but they were forming a picture that she refused to accept. Lena laughed, but the sound was hollow and brittle. “I’m afraid you are going to have to spell it out for me, Kara.” Lena desperately hoped she was wrong. That she was just being paranoid.

“She’s yours, Lena. Yours and Mon-El’s.” Lena felt everything in her freeze. She dropped her hand from Kara’s arm, stepping back and shaking her head softly. “Rhea used the samples she took from you and Mon-El and made her heir. She must have done it immediately.”

When Lena remained speechless, Kara reached out to rest a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. Lena flinched away from the touch. Kara drew her hand back slowly, a look of hurt flashing across her features. If Lena had been capable of it, she would have felt bad, but she was numb.

“I know this must be a shock,” Kara continued. “But I think once you see her, get to know her...She is the cutest little thing, Lena.” Kara smiled at her earnestly. “She’s got this little patch of hair, which is just impossibly soft. She’s really strong. Her appetite almost rivals mine. Oh! She has your eyes. They are the…”

Lena held up her hand and finally spoke. “Stop! Please Kara...just...stop,” Lena begged desperately. Kara deflated slightly but did as asked. “I don’t…” Lena shook her head again.

“I know this is a shock,” Kara repeated.

Lena laughed sharply, the sound brittle. “A shock? Yes, I suppose you could say that.”

Lena kept trying to grasp the reality of the situation, but it proved slippery, impossible to hold onto. Her mind instinctively shying away. In this moment, Lena wished that Kara had been here to tell her that Mon-El was back for good, or that Kara was leaving Earth to be with him. Anything but this.

“Her name’s Alina, and she’s the sweetest,” Kara insisted.

Lena closed her eyes. She didn’t need to know her name. Didn’t want to know her name. Knowing her name made it all seem a little too real.

“I’m sure she’s lovely,” Lena replied with stilted formality. In an effort to collect her scattered emotions Lena slipped into her professional persona like a favorite cloak. If her years with Lillian had taught her anything, it was how to bury her emotions so deep not even she could find them.  “Was there anything else?” Lena asked with measured curiosity, as though this were just another business deal.

“Anything else?” Kara asked blankly, clearly confused by Lena’s response.

“I assume your purpose was to inform me. I’m informed,” Lena clarified, moving back to her desk. Wanting to put a barrier between them. To retreat to a place she felt safe, in control. “I really do have a lot of work to catch up on.” Lena waved her hand across her desk. “So, if there was nothing else?”

Kara hurried across the office, coming to stand in front of Lena’s desk, arms crossed over her chest. “That’s all you’re going to say?” Kara demanded.

“What else would you have me say, Kara?”

“How about, ‘Is she okay? Is she healthy? When can I see her?’”

Lena looked at Kara, her expression cool. “Why would I want to see her?”

“Because she’s your daughter,” Kara burst out, throwing her arms up in exasperation.

“No. She isn’t,” Lena insisted icily. “Look, Kara, I appreciate you letting me know, and I will sign anything you need to regarding relinquishing custody.”

“How can you say that?” Kara demanded, looking at Lena with a combination of anger and genuine confusion. “I know this is a lot to take in, but I think if you just give it a little time, get to know her…”

“I have neither the time nor the desire,” Lena replied, voice devoid of emotion. “Children were never something I wanted, and that hasn’t changed. My work and company require all of my time and attention. Someone used my genetic material, without my permission; that doesn’t make me a mother.”

“Maybe you didn’t plan on it, but she’s here now, and she needs you,” Kara insisted desperately.

“My decision is final, Kara.” Lena folded her hands neatly in front of her. “Was that all?”

If Lena was capable of feeling anything, she knew she would be sliced to the quick by the way Kara was currently looking at her. Kara had never looked at Lena like this; not when Kara had suspected Lena was betraying them to side with Lillian, not when she had been set-up by her mother and arrested, not when she had learned Lena had aided Rhea, not even when she had been responsible for exiling Mon-El. Disappointment, anger, disgust. It was just as well that Lena couldn’t feel anything.

“No, that was all. I’ll just see myself out, _Ms. Luthor_.” For the first time, Kara used her last name as a weapon, but Lena didn’t even flinch.

“Oh, Kara?” Lena spoke when Kara was almost to the doors. Kara paused, turning back, the smallest bit of hope on her features. “Let J’onn know I will have an update on the new alien detection device to him later this week.” The ember of hope was quickly extinguished. Without another word Kara spun and left the office, the door slamming loudly behind her.

Alone, with only her thoughts to keep her occupied, Lena could feel the first tendrils of panic starting to stir in her chest. Lena took a steadying breath, pushing the panic down ruthlessly. Lena activated the intercom on her desk. “Jess? You can send in my 2 o’clock.”  

* * *

 

Kara sat on the small sofa in her sister’s office at the DEO. Her feet rested on the coffee table, creating a gentle slope with her bent legs. She smiled down at Ali, one of Kara’s fingers grasped in each hand. If the smile was tinged with sadness, Kara didn’t think the baby would notice.

“Are you the strongest baby on the planet? I think you might be. You’re definitely the cutest.” Ali smiled, or tried too, and flailed her arms wildly. “I’m glad someone agrees with me.”

After leaving Lena’s office, Kara had headed straight for the DEO. She had felt an inexorable need to see Ali. To somehow protect her, even though Kara knew that all her strength and super powers would be useless. She had found the baby resting in the medical bay, alone except for a DEO agent Kara didn’t know. Alex had a situation she had to respond to, he said, and he had been left to keep the baby company.

Kara had been irrationally irritated by the situation and had insisted she would take the baby. She had taken over Alex’s office since the only other place she knew they could be alone was the training room, and that was no place for a baby.

She freed one of her hands and stroked it gently over the downy soft hair on Ali’s head. “Why does nobody want you?” Kara asked softly, her voice cracking slightly.

A soft knock on the door preceded it swinging open, and Alex poking her head in. “Kara? Are you okay? Johnson said you grabbed Ali and took off.”

Kara didn’t take her eyes off the baby. “Here to tell me ‘I told you so’, Alex?” Alex slipped into the room, closing the door behind her before sitting next to her sister on the couch.  
  
“Didn’t go well with Lena?” Alex asked quietly.

Kara gave a short, half laugh. “You could say that.” Kara turned to look at her sister. “Why doesn’t anyone want her? Look at her. She’s perfect.”

Alex shook her head. “Sometimes it’s not that simple, Kara.”

“What’s complicated about it? They’re her parents. One abandoned her on a strange planet, and one is too busy with work to be bothered,” Kara said hotly. She knew she wasn’t being entirely fair, to either Mon-El, or Lena, but her protective instincts had been fully engaged. If her parents weren’t going to be there for Ali, Kara vowed she would be.

“Is that what Lena said?” Alex asked.

Kara scoffed. “Pretty much. She hadn’t ever wanted kids, Ali didn’t change that, and could I please see myself out since she had a lot of work to get done. Rao forbid that her daughter interrupts her from work,” Kara bit off bitterly.

“That’s not really fair, Kar,” Alex rebuked gently. “You did go in there and drop kind of a huge bomb on her. It’s understandable that she may need a little time to process everything.” Alex frowned slightly, shaking her head. “God, now I sound like Maggie.”

“You know what else isn’t fair? Being discarded by both of your parents. Being left all alone, unwanted.”

“She’s not alone. She has you, and the rest of us.”

Kara shook her head. “It’s not the same.”

Alex looked at Kara thoughtfully. “Is that really what this is about?”

Kara looked at Alex sharply. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Kara asked defensively.

“Just that you seem to be taking this a little...personally.”

Kara gave the question some consideration. Was she identifying a little too much with Ali’s situation?  Maybe she was. She knew what it was like to be sent away by your parents, even if they claimed to have a good reason. To then be abandoned by the one remaining member of your family because you didn’t fit into their busy life.

“Maybe I am,” Kara finally said with a shrug. “But if anyone can understand what she is facing, it’s me. Maybe Kal-El,” Kara conceded grudgingly.  

Alex reached out and looped her arm around Kara’s shoulders. “So you know what to do to make sure she has it easier than you guys did.” Alex tightened her grip, pulling Kara into a one-armed hug. “She’s not alone, Kara,” Alex repeated. “We’ll figure something out.”

Kara nodded, knowing Alex was right. She wasn’t going to abandon Ali. Wanting to lighten the mood, Kara looked at her sister out of the corner of her eye. “I don’t suppose you and Maggie would consider…,” she let the question trail, a small, teasing smile on her face.

Alex recoiled immediately. “What?! We just barely got engaged and moved in together.” Alex shook her head. “I don’t think that would be the best idea. At all.”

Kara laughed. “Relax, Alex. I was just kidding.”

Alex sagged in relief. “Oh thank god.” She shoved her sister in the arm. “Jerk. Don’t scare me like that. Or joke about it to Maggie. I saw how enamored she was with it, she’d probably consider it.”

“She has a name,” Kara reprimanded her sister gently.

“Right. Apologies, Ali” Alex apologized to the baby, clearly unrepentant. Alex shook her head. “Besides, can you imagine Maggie and I with a kid? With our jobs? You know I would do almost anything for you Kara, but I don’t think becoming an instant mom is on that list. Sorry.”

“Like I would entrust her to you anyway,” Kara teased her sister. “Maggie, sure, but you?”

“Hey!” Alex protested. “I did an okay job with you.”

“I was old enough to feed myself, potty trained, and essentially invulnerable,” Kara replied flatly.

“Still. I could keep her alive….Probably.”

“I’m sure you could,” Kara said, placating her sister gently. Kara looked back toward Ali, shaking her head, and leaning in closer. “No she couldn’t,” Kara whispered to the baby conspiratorially. “But don’t worry, I won’t leave you with big, bad, Auntie Alex.”

“I’m not that bad,” Alex grumbled quietly.

“How did the tests, go?” Kara asked, changing the subject. “Do we have any better idea of what her powers are going to be like?”

“About that, I decided to call in an expert. We did a basic workup, to make sure we were covering her basic needs, but I decided that a more thorough analysis required someone with a bit more expertise in the field.”

Kara frowned in confusion. Almost all of the experts in alien biology already worked at the DEO. If they didn’t have someone qualified already there, the person probably didn’t exist. “Who did you call?”

Alex looked at Kara with a wry grin. “Mom, of course. Wasn’t _that_ a fun conversation.”

“Eliza’s coming?”

Alex nodded. “I figured, who better? She has both the theoretical and practical knowledge of dealing with tiny, super-humans. She’ll be here later tonight. I told her she could stay at your place. Hope that was okay?”

Kara looked at Ali with an excited smile. “Would you like to meet Grandma Eliza?”

Alex choked on her laugh. “Just promise me that I can be there the first time you call her that.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I could have tweaked this chapter endlessly and still not been happy with it, so I decided to cut my losses. When I popped into Lena's POV it took a bit of a darker, and more self flagellating turn than I was originally planning, but after some thought, I decided it made sense, and left it as is. 
> 
> My one worry, well okay, ONE of my worries, with this chapter was that Lena's thoughts/reactions may be a bit jumbled and non-sensical on the page. It all makes perfect sense in my head, so if you have any questions let me know, and I will try to clear up any confusion.


	4. Don't You Want Me

Kara stumbled into the apartment, arms full of bags containing various baby paraphernalia. She kicked the door closed behind her, which, after a moment's delay, elicited a small, disgruntled cry from Ali.

"Oops, sorry," Kara said sheepishly, dropping the bags by the entry and making her way towards the couch. Eliza cooed softly to Ali, bouncing her gently, trying to get her to calm down with an ease and confidence that spoke of years of practice.

"That's okay, I'm used to it. Alex was a very cranky baby," Eliza confided. Ali settled down almost immediately, earning a fond gaze from Eliza. "If only she had been as easy to appease."

"Alex, cranky? That's so hard to imagine," Kara joked. Eliza met her gaze with a knowing grin. They both loved Alex dearly, but they both knew she had a tendency to be a bit of a grump.

"Thank you again for doing this, Eliza. I really can't thank you enough."

When Kara had agreed to help Mon-El, she hadn't considered the possibility of Lena not wanting her daughter. Until they could figure out a permanent solution for the baby, she was still going to need short term care and accommodations. Alex insisted that they could just keep her at the DEO in the medical bay, and assign one of the medical assistants to take care of her. Kara had been vehemently opposed to that idea and had insisted, over Alex's strenuous objections, on taking Ali home with her.

Alex had pointed out that she could hardly take care of a small baby when she could be called away on Supergirl business at any moment. Kara had never resented having to put her life on hold to be Supergirl quite like she had in that moment. Luckily, Eliza had stepped in with the perfect solution. Since she was staying with Kara anyway, she could look after the baby in case Kara was called away.

"Of course, sweetie. You know I would do anything for you girls." Eliza looked fondly at the baby still cradled in her arms. "Besides, this isn't really a hardship for me. It's probably the closest I'm likely to get to becoming a grandma."

"You're sure you don't mind being called that? Alex seemed to think you might be upset."

Eliza laughed softly, shaking her head. "I think that may have been Alex projecting her own feelings about motherhood."

"Now that Alex has Maggie, you never know." Eliza looked up from smiling at Ali to give Kara a knowing glance. Kara squirmed uncomfortably in her seat, feeling like she had been caught in a lie.

"I know my daughter. As much as I would love to have a little Alex running around, I don't think that it's in the cards." Eliza sighed. "She has always been so dedicated to her work. Partly my fault for pushing her so much when she was younger. I'm so happy she was able to find Maggie. To finally gain some balance in her life." Eliza shook her head. "But kids? Kids take a lot of time and sacrifice, and I'm not sure Alex would want to make the changes necessary."

"If she had a baby though, she wouldn't be able to help but love it," Kara insisted. She knew her sister's heart and dedication to family. Alex might protest at first, but she wouldn't be able to stop herself from falling in love with a baby.

Eliza tipped her head, conceding the point. "She would. Alex loves her family. If she ever found herself in that position she would make the sacrifices necessary, no matter what it cost her. It's just the person that she is."

Kara frowned at Eliza. "You make it sound like having a baby is some great burden," Kara said defensively.

"In some ways it is. If you do it right, your life is no longer fully yours anymore. You have to put the care and needs of this tiny being before everything. It's not a decision to be made lightly. It turns your life upside down."

Kara mulled over Eliza's words. She had never really thought about the changes and sacrifices that having a baby would entail. On Krypton, she had been too young to think about children except in the most abstract, someday in the distant future, terms. Once she landed on Earth, she knew kids were no longer a part of her future.

"It's worth it though?" Kara said, the words ending up more of a question than the statement she had intended. "You don't regret Alex." Of that much she was sure.

"I could never regret Alex." Eliza looked at her pointedly. "Or you."

Kara flushed, feeling caught. She shook her head, looking down at her lap. "This isn't about me," Kara insisted.

Eliza looked at her in understanding, raising one hand to cup her cheek, and bringing Kara's eyes up to meet hers. "I think maybe it is. At least a little. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I just don't understand," Kara finally sighed, shoulders slumping. "Family was everything on Krypton. The idea of turning your back..." Kara shook her head. "It would be unthinkable.

Arriving on Earth, finding out Kal-El was fully grown, that he had a life of his own, a life that didn't, that couldn't include me. It was devastating. To go from a world where family was everything, to one where I had none…"

Kara jerked upright, turning to Eliza with a look of horror. The other woman only gazed back at her in warm understanding. "At first. Just at first," Kara hastened to explain. "You know I love you, and Jeremiah, and Alex. More than anything. You are my family," Kara assured her with conviction.

Eliza patted her hand reassuringly. "I know, Kara. I've never doubted that, and I hope you haven't either."

Kara shook her head. "I haven't. You guys did so much for me, made me feel welcomed. Accepted. Loved." Kara looked back at Ali, noting that she had dozed off sometime during the course of the conversation. "I just wanted that for her. "

"And you can still make sure she gets it," Eliza reassured her. "Just because it won't be quite how you pictured it, doesn't mean she won't have a happy, healthy life. You and Clark both turned out pretty well," Eliza teased gently.

Kara smiled, ducking her head. "Yeah, but what are the odds that we find someone as great as you and Jeremiah again."

Eliza looked down at Ali again, smiling gently. "I have at least ten years of vacation time stacked up, I'm in no hurry. We'll take as much time as needed to make sure she ends up with a family that truly wants her. That will accept her. That will understand and appreciate how special she is."

"Oh, I can't ask you to do that," Kara insisted with a shake of her head. She had agreed to take Ali home with her because she couldn't bear the thought of the tiny baby spending her time in the sterile DEO medical bay. It wouldn't be right to ask Eliza to put her life on hold for Kara's decision.

"You didn't ask. I offered. She's family now," Eliza said with finality. "You do what you have to for family."

Kara's expression darkened slightly. "If only everyone felt the same," she grumbled sullenly.

"Have you heard from Lena since you told her?" Eliza asked gently.

Kara shook her head, arms crossed protectively across her chest. "Not a peep." Everyone had urged her to give Lena a little bit of time to process the life changing news that Kara had dropped on her, but it had been two days, and Kara hadn't gotten so much as a text from the L-Corp CEO. Which, given how their relationship had cooled slightly, wasn't that uncommon. This silence seemed more weighted with meaning.

"It's a lot to take in," Eliza remarked. "I'm not sure how well anyone could take that news."

"You and Jeremiah seemed to handle it okay."

Eliza shook her head gently, careful not to disturb the baby in her arms. "It's not the same thing."

"How is it that different?" Kara demanded. "You had someone pop in out of the blue and ask you to take on an alien child."

"Yes. We did. And it wasn't a decision we took on lightly. It was something we discussed extensively before telling Kal we would take you in." Eliza sighed out softly. "Would you have thought less of us if we had said no?"

Kara shook her head immediately. "Of course not. You and Jeremiah didn't have any obligation to take care of me."

"So why doesn't Lena get the same leeway?" Eliza asked gently.

"It's different," Kara insisted stubbornly. She had tried to see Lena's side of things, she really had, but she was having a hard time getting past her gut level reaction. You took care of family.

Eliza tilted her head. "Why? Lena didn't decide to have this baby and then abandon her. She was created without her knowledge and then dropped in her lap. The decision to have a baby is a very personal one, Kara. To have that decision taken away….it can't be easy."

Kara set her jaw. "She's her daughter."

Eliza sighed. "What about a couple that uses a sperm donor? Is that donor responsible for the baby that results?"

"No, that's…." Kara furrowed her brow, confused. Things were so much simpler on Krypton. There was no such thing as an unwanted baby. All children were carefully planned for after a couple was matched. There would never be a need to go outside of the pair to find a donor. The concept was foreign to Kara, even after all these years on Earth. "I guess not."

"Well, that's essentially what Lena is," Eliza explained gently. "Only, unlike a donor, she didn't give her permission. That was taken from her." Eliza patted Kara gently on the knee. "Just give her some time. She may surprise you."

* * *

Lena sat behind her desk and took in the pristine, empty surface with a sense of dread. A workaholic on a good day, she had been a woman possessed for the last three. She wouldn't be surprised if more than a few resignation letters were delivered Monday morning.

Work had always been her refuge, and she had never needed a refuge more. If she was focused on work, she wouldn't have time to let her thoughts drift to things she would rather not think about. She had barely slept because with sleep came those few unguarded minutes before sleeping, and after waking, when her mind would be unfocused and unprotected. Instead, she had worked until she had been so exhausted she would slip into unconsciousness more than sleep.

Sometimes being ruthlessly efficient had its downsides. As Lena took in the shiny white expanse before her, she realized she had run out of distractions. She turned her head, eyeing the decanter of amber liquid longingly, but resisted the pull. If she was going to be forced to think about it, she would do it with a clear head.

Lena had known from a young age that she would never be a mother. Growing up, she had never understood why people had children in the first place. The Luthors', while always sure to provide her with her material needs, had never made her feel wanted. As time passed, she came to realize that children were just another status symbol. A box to check on the list of societal expectations. An extension of their parents' accomplishments.

Even Lex, the favored son, had only received praise and reward when he was doing something that would enhance the Luthor legacy. Once she had figured out the key to acceptance, she had tried, time and again, to gain a fraction of that approval. It wasn't to be. No matter what she had done, how hard she had tried, she could never seem to gain that approval. Lillian had always had a fault to find, an improvement to be made. A backhanded barb to deliver.

She had vowed she would never put a child through that. If she was never going to be able to attain the acceptance and love of her mother, then one more expectation missed shouldn't make much difference on the balance sheet. If that decision had ever wavered, it had been cemented when she learned that she really was a Luthor after all. The last thing the world needed was another Luthor.

No, she was content with her decision; to end this branch of the rotted family tree with her. Lex would never have children of his own, and neither would she. Lillian's influence would end with Lena.

To learn that that decision had been taken out of her hands, had been a harsh reveal. There would be another Luthor after all. The irony of learning that the next generation of Luthor would also be half alien was not lost on Lena. Lillian would be positively apoplectic if she found out. Lena took no small amount of joy in that.

However, she wasn't going to find out, because Lena had no intention of claiming the child. She may contain her DNA, but she wasn't her daughter. Lena had vowed she would never be a mother, and Lena Luthor kept her word.

If, in unguarded moments, she found herself thinking about her own childhood, and what it was like to be left alone in the world with no close family, she countered them with other thoughts.

Thoughts of Lionel. Coming to pick her up from the children's home, telling her that everything would be okay. That he was taking her home to meet her new family. Forever away on business, and never having time for Lena on the rare occasions he was home. Turning a blind eye whenever Lillian unleashed her special brand of maternal disapproval. Brushing it away with a dismissive 'You know how your mother is, Lena." Lionel, who had lied to her her entire life.

Thoughts of Lillian. Her insincere smile when she had 'welcomed' Lena to the Luthor mansion. Her refusal to show even the barest amount of affection, even while she showered Lex. The cutting barbs when she had reached her teen years, about her weight, her looks, her failure to live up to the bar that Lex had set so impossibly high. Her fake show of maternal concern, carefully crafted to lull Lena into unlocking the fruits of Lex's madness.

Thoughts of Lex. Most of all thoughts of Lex. Who had welcomed her with genuine warmth. Who had allowed Lena to tag after him, even though humoring a scared and lonely five-year-old had to be on the bottom of his to-do list. Who had given her the hugs and encouragement that Lillian never would. His impassioned plea for Lena to join him, to help him rid the world of the Super menace once and for all. The cold fury when she had refused. The destruction and pain he had caused even without her help. Lex, who even when the fight was lost, had tried to have her killed anyway.

If that was what passed as family for a Luthor, she wanted no part of it.

If a small part of her wondered what would become of the child, what kind of life she would lead, if she would be happy, she quickly crushed it. No, it was better for all involved if she kept her distance. A shared genetic code didn't mean love and caring. The Luthors had taught her that.

Lena had been expecting Kara to call and try to persuade her to change her mind, but the blonde seemed to be avoiding her. Lena wondered if she had finally done something that had destroyed even Kara's seemingly endless belief in her. One of the things she had been desperately trying not to think about was the look of utter contempt on Kara's face before she had stormed out of her office.

Lena tried to tell herself it was for the best. Kara was better off without Lena around. She was a Luthor, seemingly destined to leave pain and destruction in their wake. Even when they were trying to do good. She took small comfort in the fact that she would no longer have to find excuses to avoid seeing the blonde. Kara was likely to want nothing to do with her now.

But, before she could close the book on that chapter of her life, one final contact would be needed. She would check on the child, at least once. Not because she was family. Not because Lena cared, on a personal level, how she was faring. But because if the child was in any danger because of her technology, it was her responsibility to find a solution. She would do it for anyone. If there was a small voice telling her she was lying to herself, she ignored it.

* * *

"So, what are you doing now?" Kara asked anxiously, bouncing Ali gently in her arms.

"I'm running a test to determine the lead saturation and clearing capacity of her blood," Eliza explained patiently. "While the files the Daxamite doctor provided indicate lead isn't fatal, at least in the quantities present in the atmosphere, I want to test her overall sensitivity. Just to be on the safe side."

She had inherited the Daxamites increased strength and resilience under Earth's yellow sun, but along with that, she had also inherited their vulnerability to lead. While Ali wasn't in danger from the quantities of lead present, likely a result of her hybrid nature, she was still vulnerable. They needed to determine to exactly what extent.

Kara eyed the lead lined needle held in Eliza's hand warily. "And you have to draw her blood for that?"

"Afraid so, sweetie."

Kara frowned down at Ali. "Is it going to hurt?" Kara had promised to keep the baby safe, and she wasn't sure allowing Eliza to turn her into a pincushion qualified.

"It will be over in a second," Eliza tried to reassure Kara. It wasn't working.

"There's really no other way?" Kara fretted anxiously.

Eliza shook her head. "There really isn't. I promise I will make it as quick and painless as possible." Eliza smiled at her understandingly. "I remember how hard this was when Alex was a baby, but I promise, it's not that bad. She won't remember a thing."

Kara bit her lip, still not entirely convinced, but finally nodded her head. "Okay." She settled Ali on her lap, and carefully pulled the blanket away.

"Try to hold her still, and keep her focused on you," Eliza instructed quietly, as she cradled the infant's foot gently in her hand. Kara looked at her in confusion, having expected Eliza to go for the baby's arm. "Easiest place to find a vein," Eliza explained, not looking up for her task, but sensing Kara's confusion.

Eliza was as good as her word, making quick work of the draw. Regardless, Ali was not happy. Kara sent Eliza a recriminating look, and quickly gathered Ali close, bouncing the infant gently and making soft shushing noises. It didn't seem to be having the desired effect, and Ali just kept crying.

Swamped with guilt, and feeling about as evil as a supervillain, it took few moments for Kara to realize that her phone was buzzing insistently in her pocket. Her first inclination was to ignore the call, but she recognized Lena's ring. Kara glanced down to her pocket, and then back to the still crying infant.

Eliza saw her dilemma because before Kara could give it too much further thought, she was reaching out and offering to take Ali. Kara hesitated another moment but finally handed Ali over. After waiting over three days to hear from Lena, she couldn't ignore her call.

"Hello? Lena?" Kara answered a little breathlessly. She did her best to move away, but she was sure some of the baby's crying could be heard on the other end of the line.

"Yes...Kara, I wanted to call to….Is that her?" Lena asked quietly, her tone carefully neutral.

"Yeah. Sorry for the noise. She is not a happy camper at the moment. Why um, why are you calling? Did you change your mind…?" Kara tried not to get her hopes up, but she couldn't help it. Surely the fact that Lena was calling was a good sign.

After her initial anger at the other woman had burned off, it had taken all of Kara's willpower not to try to convince her to change her mind. She was sure if she could just get Lena and Ali in the same room together, Lena wouldn't be able to resist. Alex had threatened to lock her in one of the DEO holding cells if she didn't promise to give Lena time and space to think.

Lena paused a moment before clearing her throat. "No. Not as such, but...I did want to check to make sure that everything was alright. With her. I want you to know, that if the lead proves to be a problem, I will be happy to help in any way I can."

Kara tried to contain her disappointment. "Oh...Well, um..thanks, that's really...thank you." Kara let out a short, stilted laugh. "It's funny you should say that since we were just running a few tests to determine that very thing." Kara shifted her focus back to Ali and was relieved to see that Eliza had her mostly calmed down.

"Tests?" Lena asked flatly. "Where exactly are you?" If Kara had been paying attention, she would have noticed the shift in Lena's tone.

"At the DEO," Kara answered absently.

"The DEO," Lena replied, her tone decidedly chilly. This time Kara noticed.

Kara frowned slightly, not understanding the frosty undertone. "Yeah, it seemed like the most logical place to run the type of tests that we needed to."

"I see." There was a brief pause before Lena cleared her throat. "I've changed my mind. I would like to see the child."

"Really?" Kara asked in surprise. "That's um, wow, that's great! If you wanted I could bring her by your office, or-"

"That won't be necessary," Lena cut in quickly, her tone sharp. "I completed the changes for the newest prototype of the alien detection device and I needed to speak to Director J'onzz anyway."

"Are you sure? Because it really wouldn't be any troub-"

"I'm sure, Kara. I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Before Kara could get another word out, Lena ended the call.

Kara pulled back from her phone and looked at it in consternation. "She hung up on me." It was clear that something she had said had upset Lena a great deal, but she couldn't figure out what that would be. She supposed she would soon find out.

* * *

Lena strode into the DEO with a steely sense of resolve. She had sworn to herself that she wasn't going to see the child. She wasn't her responsibility, and she didn't owe her anything. She had called to check on her out of a sense of common decency. Nothing more.

However, when she heard that they had her at the DEO, something inside of her shifted. Part of her knew that Kara was too kind, and too good, to ever let any true harm come to the child. Another part of her, that had been conditioned by years of unearned mistrust, had its doubts.

Before she knew what was happening, she was telling Kara that she would be by momentarily to see the child in person. She told herself it was just to ensure that the covert government agency was being above board in its dealings with the child. That they weren't letting her heritage, half Luthor and half Daxamite, influence their actions. She was here for her own peace of mind.

She approached the agent manning the front desk and handed over the credentials she had been provided without saying a word. None were needed. After the attack on National City, it became clear that better tracking technology was needed. While most of the aliens on Earth didn't seem intent on doing harm, the ability to locate them quickly would be advantageous. Kara had still been adamantly against the development of a device to track and catalog the alien population of Earth, but she had been overridden.

The DEO knew of her work in the field, and they had reached out to her about developing a non-contact prototype. Their goal was to be able to scan remotely, preferably from a satellite. Lena had almost turned the request down, not wanting to further upset Kara, but in the end, she had agreed to the project. The government contract could prove to be a lucrative one for L-Corp. Especially if it went well, and lead to further projects. L-Corp was all she had, and she had to put its welfare above everything, even her own feelings.

"Go ahead, Ms. Luthor." Her badge was handed back and she was allowed to proceed to the bank of elevators located behind the reception area. She had been here only a few times before since most of the research was conducted in her own lab. That had been a bit of a fight, but she had finally convinced the ultra-secretive agency that her security was above reproach. There would be no leaks.

Once in the elevator, she placed her thumb on the scanner. There were no floor numbers. It would take her only where she was authorized to go. As the car ascended smoothly, she idly wondered what the response would be if an unauthorized user gained entry and tried to use the elevator. She may have to ask if they were willing to share the technology. The corporate applications could be potentially lucrative.

Thoughts of future revenue streams could only keep her so distracted, and before she was entirely ready, the doors were opening onto the DEO's central command hub. She exited the car and was greeted by a smiling Danvers. It just wasn't the one she had been expecting.

"Lena, hi. Kara said you were coming by. She's still a bit….occupied, so I offered to show you the way. How are you holding up?" Alex asked delicately. The look of warm compassion on her face, not quite pity, but far too close for Lena's liking, had her setting her jaw and squaring her shoulders. She didn't need, or want, anyone's pity.

She smiled at the agent tightly. "I'm quite well, thank you for asking." She wiped her hands discreetly on her skirt. No matter how uncomfortable or stressful the situation, Lena was not accustomed to nervous sweating. It was an unwelcome feeling. "You can just point me in the right direction, I assure you I don't require an escort."

Alex looked like she wanted to say something more, but decided against it with a shrug. "That's okay, I was headed in that direction anyway." Lena highly doubted that, but she didn't think calling Alex a liar would serve her particularly well.

While her relationship with the elder Danvers was cordial, it was by no means warm or friendly. There was a mutual respect between them, an appreciation of the other's talents, but nothing more. Maybe, if things hadn't gone differently, she would have been brought into Kara's inner circle, and they would have become friends. Lena shook off the thought; it was pointless to dwell on what could have been.

Where Kara would have been compelled to fill the walk with her distinctive brand of rambling chatter, Alex was content to let it pass in silence. All too quickly, Alex was stopping at the door to the medical lab. "Here we are," Alex said, somewhat unnecessarily because Lena could hardly miss seeing Kara, along with another, older, blonde woman through the glass walls. Kara was bouncing in place slightly, and it was clear, even from behind, that she was cradling something in her arms. Lena felt her heartbeat accelerate uncomfortably.

Kara must have sensed her presence, because Lena watched her stop the light bouncing motion, before turning slowly. She gave Lena a welcoming smile, a smile Lena was sure she was never going to see again, one she probably didn't deserve to see again, before raising one hand in greeting.

"Well, I'll just leave you to it," Alex said, breaking into the silent staring contest that had developed when Lena failed to enter the lab. Lena thought that would be the end of it, but instead of leaving, Alex spoke again. "Look, I know Kara was a bit….single-minded the other day." Alex rubbed her hand across the back of her neck. Lena didn't think she had ever seen the normally cool and composed agent quite this ruffled. And Lena had seen her facing down a madman with a gun. "But, she means well. Her heart is in the right place." Lena waited, confident that Alex had a point she was trying to get to. For the first time, Lena saw the family resemblance. "But even if her intentions are pure, she's not always right." Alex sighed, frustrated with her lack of eloquence. "All I'm trying to say is that this situation sucks. All of it. It isn't fair, and it isn't right, but it's what we have to deal with. You have every right to be pissed off. I'm sorry you're having to deal with this."

Lena cleared her throat, touched by the concern. "I...thank you, Agent Danvers. It is a bit of an awkward situation."

Alex snorted. "It's fucked up is what it is."

Lena laughed, caught off guard by the other woman's bluntness. "Yes. I suppose that is an apt description."

Alex gave her a small half smile. "And call me Alex. I think, given the circumstances, it is a little late to stand on formality." Lena nodded her head in acknowledgment. Alex clapped a hand on her shoulder, and Lena did her best not to flinch at the contact. Based on the sympathetic look in Alex's eyes, she wasn't sure she entirely succeeded. "You better get in there. Kara looks like she is about to storm the hallway."

Lena swallowed, trying to push down the nervous flutters in her stomach. She had no need to be nervous. She was simply going to check on the status of the child, and reassure herself that everything was fine. She would then put the whole matter out of her mind, and move on with her life. There was no need to be nervous.

As Lena reached out to grasp the door handle, she didn't think she had ever been more terrified.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My beta decided to take pity on me, so there should hopefully be fewer grammatical issues. 
> 
> I know these bits probably aren't the most exciting, but I feel like I do need to lay a bit of groundwork for the underlying motivations. I didn't originally intend to end the chapter without Lena meeting Ali (I swear), but it started to go long, and I am determined to keep these chapters small and workable.


	5. Getting to Know You

Kara bounced nervously in place, partly to soothe the still fretful baby, and partly to burn off some of her own anxiety. While she was cautiously optimistic that Lena wanted to meet her daughter, she didn't fully know what to expect. Lena hadn't exactly sounded excited at the prospect of meeting Ali.

Kara sensed the moment that Lena had arrived on the floor. If her erratic heartbeat hadn't given away her presence, Alex's pep talk certainly would have. Kara tried her best not to eavesdrop on other people's conversations, having learned that lesson the hard way, but sometimes she couldn't help herself. Unfortunately, Lena hadn't given much away with her response to Alex's concern.

Lena entered the room slowly, hands clutching rhythmically on the straps of her purse. Kara smiled and walked forward, causing Lena to halt her progress. Lena's eyes flicked briefly to Ali, before she looked away, her gaze darting around the lab. What she was looking for, Kara wasn't certain. Lena's gaze lingered briefly on Eliza; she frowned softly before looking away to meet Kara's expectant gaze.

"Lena, hi. I'm so glad you decided to come see her," Kara said warmly, taking a peek down at the baby. "What made you change your mind?"

Lena's gaze tracked to Ali briefly, before once again flicking away. "As I said on the phone, I wanted to make sure she is alright. She is just as much a victim of circumstance as anyone in this whole mess. If she is in any danger from my actions, I want to do what I can to help."

Kara tried to swallow her disappointment at Lena's answer. Based on her friend's previous reaction, she hadn't expected her to sweep into the room with her arms wide open, but she would be lying if she hadn't hoped for a little maternal affection. For all the emotion she was showing, Lena could be talking about a casual business acquaintance.

"Of course, yeah. Well, you came at the right time, Eliza was just about to run a bunch of tests that should let us know if we have anything to worry about."

Kara wasn't sure if she imagined it, but she thought she saw Lena's jaw tighten slightly at the mention of tests.

Hearing her name, Eliza moved forward. "Eliza Danvers, it's nice to finally meet you, even under the circumstances." Eliza held her hand out and Lena moved to take it automatically.

"Dr. Danvers, of course. It's a pleasure. Your work on non-helical DNA structures was crucial to the development of the..on some of my company's recent tech."

"Please, call me Eliza. Kara has mentioned you so often I feel as though I know you already."

A faint blush stained Lena's cheeks, but she nodded her head. "Eliza."

"Sorry," Kara interrupted, looking a little sheepish. "I forgot that you two have never been properly introduced."

"I think we can forgive your lapse in social protocol. You've had your hands rather full," Lena said, inclining her head toward the baby.

"Did you want to hold her?" Kara was already moving to offer the baby to Lena when the CEO held up her hand in a halting gesture.

"I think it would probably be best for you to hold on to her for the moment," Lena said, her voice stilted. Kara recognized the tone, it was the one Lena used whenever she was in an uncomfortable, or awkward situation.

"Oh, yeah, of course. Sorry. I just...do you want to sit?" Kara gestured toward one of the spare lab stools. Lena nodded, still clutching tightly to her purse, and settled herself. Lena perched gingerly on the edge, looking like she was prepared to bolt at a moment's notice.

Lena looked around the room. "Is this where you've been keeping her?"

Kara frowned, hearing a faint note of accusation in Lena's question. Kara shook her head, pulling Ali closer. "No. At least, not all the time. I have to bring her here during the day because you know, the whole Supergirl thing, but I've been bringing her home with me at night." Kara smiled at Eliza. "Eliza is staying with me until we can figure out a long term solution."

Lena looked surprised by the answer. "Oh, I thought that…" Lena shook her head. "That's very nice of you."

"She's family," Kara answered as if that explained everything. And for Kara it did. While not technically related, Kara viewed Ali as part of her extended adopted family.

Lena shifted uncomfortably on her seat, gaze dropping to her hands. "Not everyone is so accepting."

"Well, they should be," Kara replied, unthinking. When Kara saw Lena flinch, she realized her words could be taken as an attack. That hadn't been her intention. "Lena that's not…" Kara shook her head. "I didn't mean…"

Lena shook her head, smiling tightly. "No, it's fine. You're not wrong after all."

Kara's response was interrupted by Eliza clearing her throat delicately. "Kara, sweetie, I'm going to go check in with Alex. I need to get these samples started in the lab. The tests will take a while to process, and my daughter promised me a lunch with her and her fiance." Eliza looked at Lena, her gaze full of sympathy and understanding. "It was nice to meet you, Lena, and I hope we get the chance to spend more time together under better circumstances," Eliza said kindly, before making her exit.

Lena watched Eliza go, her expression unreadable. "Your mother seems nice."

Kara nodded, not bothering to correct Lena's classification of Eliza's place in her life. She normally clarified that Eliza was her foster mom, but that didn't feel right in this instance. "She's the best. I wouldn't have been able to keep Ali at home if she hadn't agreed to stay with me while she's in town."

"She's in town to conduct the tests?" Kara once again heard the same accusatory inflection on the word 'tests'.

Kara nodded slowly. "Yes. We have some data from tests that the Daxamites conducted, but Alex thought it would be a good idea to run our own. While they tried to simulate the effects of Earth's atmosphere and sun to make sure it would be safe, we figured it would be better to be safe. There is no one better qualified."

"What is it you're hoping to uncover?"

Kara frowned. "We're not hoping to uncover anything. We are trying to make sure that there are no long term risks to her staying on Earth. Her hybrid nature seems to be protecting her from the effects of the lead, but we really don't know if long term exposure will be safe. Eliza is trying to learn how her body is handling processing the lead."

"What else is her hybrid nature protecting her from? I assume she has...powers."

Kara nodded slowly, running a hand over the still sleeping baby's back. "She does. The extent isn't known yet. So far she seems to have inherited the same resistance to injury and increased strength that both Kryptonians and Daxamites experience under Earth's yellow sun. Time will tell if she will be as strong as a full Daxamite, but Eliza thinks it will be slightly reduced because of her human DNA."

"So, no flying or heat vision?"

Kara shook her head. "As far as we know, only Kryptonians experience those effects."

"So, that's all you're testing her for?" Lena asked, gaze shifting to the Ali briefly before moving quickly away.

"Of course," Kara nodded. She looked at Lena curiously. "What else would we be testing her for?"

Lena shrugged, head tilted to one side. "She is a Luthor."

Kara frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Lena pursed her lips. "I think you know, Kara." When Kara just continued to frown at Lena, the CEO sighed. "On the best of days, my family names invites extra scrutiny. Couple that with superhuman ability, from an alien race that tried to enslave the human population of National City, and I can only imagine the alarm bells she is setting off."

Kara shook her head sadly. She had lost count of all the times she had tried to convince her friend that she was more than her family name, but it was clear the message still hadn't sunk in. "She's a baby. She hasn't done anything wrong, and no one is viewing her with suspicion," Kara assured her friend.

"She's a Luthor," Lena insisted.

Kara stood, her agitation demanding motion. "The only one that seems to be holding that against her is you, Lena," Kara accused. Kara's sudden pacing had disturbed Ali's slumber, and the baby let out an unhappy cry. Kara bent her head to soothe the infant, so she missed the shocked look on Lena's face.

"I'm sorry munchkin, did I wake you up," Kara asked softly. She glanced at the wall clock. "Or maybe you're just hungry." Kara bounced the baby gently, but she continued to fret. Kara glanced toward Lena, who was sitting with her back ramrod straight, watching the pair silently.

Coming to a decision, Kara closed the short distance, and held the baby out. "Can you hold her while I make her a bottle?"

Lena raised her hands to refuse, but Kara shook her head and pressed the baby forward. "She's not going to bite." Kara blew out an exasperated breath. "The sooner I can get her fed, the sooner she'll stop crying," Kara bargained.

Lena looked at the baby, before nodding her head and holding out her hands to accept the infant. The change in location caused Ali to thankfully cease crying.

Kara watched as Lena cradled Ali in the crook of her elbow, gazing down at her silently. Kara wanted to comment on how much Ali looked like Lena, the resemblance impossible to miss, but she didn't want to spook her friend. "You okay for a second?"

She may be annoyed with Lena's insistence that Ali being a Luthor was something worthy of increased suspicion, but she didn't want to press her into something she wasn't comfortable with.

Lena looked up, her expression mildly alarmed. "I suppose."

"Back in a jiff," Kara promised. Not giving Lena a chance to object, Kara dashed off, using as much of her super speed as the hallways of the DEO would allow.

* * *

Lena watched Kara nearly fly out of the room with a sense of alarm. She looked down at Ali, who blinked back at her with eyes a familiar shade of green. "I guess it's just you and me." Ali flailed her arms and let out a small squeaking sound. "It wouldn't have been my first choice either," Lena assured the infant.

She shifted in her seat, making sure she still had a firm grip on the lively baby. While Kara had said Ali had inherited the Daxamite's resiliency, she didn't want to test it by dropping the baby onto the floor.

When she had decided to check in on the baby, she hadn't anticipated actually holding her. To her surprise, Ali looked like any other baby, which, Lena supposed, shouldn't have come as a surprise. She didn't know what she had been expecting, but whatever it had been, it wasn't this. A baby. Nothing about her outward appearance to indicate that she shared half of her DNA with a family containing madmen, and the other half with an alien species that had tried to enslave the human population of National City. Lena wasn't sure which half was the most worrying.

Looking down into her innocent face, it was hard to lay those burdens on her shoulders. Lena sighed. Maybe Kara had been right to accuse her of being the one that couldn't get past Ali's heritage.

Even if she had wanted to deny her relation, the family resemblance was impossible to miss. Lena didn't have any of her own baby pictures, either deemed unimportant, or maybe simply destroyed, by Lillian, but looking at Ali, it was easy to picture what she may have looked like as a baby. And, excepting for the color of the eyes, she bore a striking resemblance to Lex's baby photos. While she may have inherited her father's powers, she had inherited her mother's looks.

Without conscious thought, Lena stroked her fingers gently over the soft hair covering the baby's head. "We haven't been properly introduced. I'm yo-, Lena. Luthor." Ali's brow crinkled, and the baby let out an unhappy cry. The reprieve granted from a new person to focus on now at an end.

Lena bobbed her head. "That seems about right," she acknowledged ruefully. "I guess there's really no denying that you're a Luthor. I would like to apologize in advance for that by the way, but," Lena shrugged, "some things are beyond our control.

All things considered, I guess it could be worse. Kara seems quite taken with you, and I can tell you from personal experience, you couldn't ask for a better champion."

Lena shifted, trying to bounce the baby as she had seen Kara do, and hopefully get her to stop crying. Her experience with babies was non-existent. In fact, she couldn't think of any prior occasion that she had interacted with a small child when she hadn't been one herself. Even then, it would have been a rare occurrence. Lionel hadn't had any siblings, and Lena wasn't close with any of the more distant Luthor cousins.

The motion momentarily halted the crying and Ali looked at Lena intently. Lena raised her eyebrows at the rapt attention being bestowed on her, before noticing that the baby was actually focused on the large platinum pendant around her neck.

"Would you like this?" Lena pulled the necklace away from her body and dangled it in front of Ali. The baby gurgled and flailed her arms excitedly. Lena laughed softly. "Lack of patience, another Luthor family trait." Lena brought the pendant closer, and Ali reached out and grasped it firmly in her small fist.

Ali tried to bring the necklace to her mouth, but the chain proved too short to complete the action. The baby let out a grunt of frustration. Lena smiled and was about to lean a bit more forward, when Ali gave another strong tug, and the necklace broke. Ali put the oversized pendant into her mouth with a smile.

"Right. Super strength." Lena looked down at the baby, who was now happily gumming on her necklace. "They are going to have their hands full with you. I guess it's a good thing that you will be surrounded by people just as strong as you are."

When Lena first learned that Ali was being held at the DEO, her mind had immediately jumped to the worst case scenario. After seeing Kara with her, she realized that most of her fears had been unfounded. The way Kara looked at the baby couldn't be mistaken; she clearly adored her. Lena supposed that made sense, as she was Kara's last link to Mon-El.

She had felt compelled to check on Ali, to make sure that she wasn't being mistreated, and it was clear to Lena that the girl was safe in Kara's care. Lena had satisfied her curiosity. She had made sure that the baby was being cared for, and safe. She was now free to walk away, her conscience clear.

Lena brushed her finger across Ali's cheek. The contact drew the the baby's attention, and she released the hold she had on the necklace chain, to grasp Lena's finger. As she gazed into Ali's eyes, so like her own, Lena had to wonder if walking away was going to be as simple as she originally thought.

* * *

Kara stood in the break-room, impatiently waiting for the bottle to warm. She didn't want to leave Lena alone with Ali for too long. While not brimming over with maternal warmth, Lena had seemed genuinely interested in Ali, if a bit distant, and Kara didn't want to press her luck. If she didn't care at all, she wouldn't have come to the DEO. Kara took that as a positive sign.

Alex entered the room and looked around in confusion. Walking to the refrigerator she took a bottle of water. "Did Lena leave already?" Alex asked, wondering at her sister's solo presence. Alex noticed the bottle heating on the stove. "And who's with the baby?"

Kara turned to greet her sister. "I thought you were going to lunch with Eliza?"

Alex nodded, taking a sip of her water. "I am. She wanted to get the tests started before she left. Where's the kid?"

"I left her with Lena," Kara answered absently, turning back to check the bottle.

Alex choked slightly on her sip of water. "You what? Kara, you can't just dump the kid on her and take off. I thought you said you weren't going to press the issue with her."

"I didn't!" Kara insisted. "Ali woke up and was hungry. I asked Lena if she was okay with her for a few minutes, and she said she was." If Lena hadn't exactly been eager at the prospect, well, that was a minor detail.

Alex eyed her sister dubiously. "How's she taking it?"

Kara shrugged. "She wanted to make sure Ali was doing okay, so I think that's a good sign. She hasn't really said much, but she's also not running out the door."

"And you're not putting pressure on her?"

Kara huffed, annoyed. "I told you I'm not! You guys insisted that she needed space to digest this news, and I gave it to her. Did I call her over the last several days, even though I really wanted to? No. I gave her space and time. She called me. She asked to come check on Ali."

Alex held up her hands, caught off guard by her sister's outburst. "Whoa. I obviously hit a nerve. I just wanted to make sure. You know you can sometimes get a little…"

"Single-minded? So, I've heard."

Alex looked at her sister pointedly. "I thought you weren't going to eavesdrop anymore."

Kara flushed and shrugged her shoulders. "I wasn't! But I knew Lena was here, and she wasn't coming in...I got curious. But you, and Maggie, and Eliza have all made your point. I haven't been pushing her."

Alex gave Kara a measured look, before nodding. "Okay. Just...give the girl a break." Alex glanced at her watch. "Well, I'll leave you to it, lunch awaits."

Kara watched her sister leave, still feeling vaguely annoyed by her sister's accusations. She acknowledged that her initial interaction with Lena about Ali could have gone better. But she really had listened to the concerns voiced by her family and friends, and she was mildly insulted that they still felt the need to remind her.

While she had been excited, and hopeful, to learn that Lena wanted to meet Ali, she wasn't going to push her into her arms. Well, except to hold her, but Kara didn't think that really counted.

Kara grabbed the bottle and headed back to the medical exam room. She let out a breath she hadn't been aware of holding as she approached. No crying. The silence was surely a good sign. Right?

Drawing closer, she was relieved to see that all was apparently well. Lena and Ali were exactly where Kara had left them, and no one appeared to be upset, bleeding, or gone.

Lena looked up as Kara entered the room. Kara was pretty sure she wasn't imagining the look of relief on Lena's face.

Holding the bottle aloft, Kara smiled at Lena. "I'm here to save the day, but I see you have everything under control." Kara joined the pair and looked down at Ali, who was mouthing Lena's necklace. "You gave her your necklace to chew on?"

Lena looked at Kara, one eyebrow raised. "Gave may not be the right word. I was trying to get her to stop crying when it caught her attention. I leaned over to let her grab it. Unfortunately, I neglected to remember the whole super strength thing, and she decided she wanted a closer look."

"Oh my god, Lena, I'm so sorry," Kara exclaimed. She placed the bottle on a nearby table and reached out, taking the baby from Lena. Kara tried to pull the necklace away but was met with resistance.

"I tried that," Lena said drily.

Frowning, Kara gently worked her fingers into Ali's mouth and retrieved the metal pendant. Kara held up the now mangled piece of jewelry and looked apologetically at Lena. "Sorry. I hope this wasn't expensive." Even as she said it, Kara knew the odds of that were slim. The best she could probably hope for was that it wasn't a family heirloom.

Lena waved off the apology and took the dented metal from Kara. "It wasn't one of my favorites anyway."

Ali let out an unhappy cry, reminding both women that she was still here, and still hungry. Kara retrieved the bottle and popped it into Ali's mouth before she could work up a full head of steam.

"You're quite good at that," Lena said.

Kara rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You should have seen me the first night. Thank god for Maggie, or I don't know how I would have managed."

"Detective Sawyer?" Lena questioned, head tilted. "I can't say I would have pegged her for the baby type."

"I know, right? She was great with Ali though. Apparently, she had a ton of cousins growing up. She was amazing. Alex, on the other hand, was completely useless."

Lena laughed lightly. "Now that I can see more easily."

"The woman can field strip an assault rifle in thirty seconds, but ask her to change a diaper, and she suddenly can't figure out how adhesive works."

"Adhesive can be tricky," Lena teased, expression solemn.

Kara rolled her eyes. "Great. Another one." Kara looked down at Ali, who was nursing with gusto. "What is it about genius women, and their inability to figure out simple diapers?" Kara asked the baby.

"We're smart like that," Lena quipped, with a smile. Kara smiled back with a gentle shake of her head. Kara simply enjoyed the moment. It has been far too long since she had been able to spend any time with Lena and simply….be. All of their interactions lately had been work related, and all too brief. Kara hadn't realized quite how much she had missed her friend and their teasing banter, until this moment.

Lena cleared her throat and folded her hands in her lap. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior the other day. It was a shock, and my response...I should have handled it better."

"You don't have anything to apologize for, Lena." Kara secured Ali in the crook of her arm and sat on the bed across from Lena. Kara mourned the loss of their all to brief moment of levity, but she knew they couldn't avoid the reason for Lena being here forever. "If anyone should apologize, it's me." When Lena started to shake her head, Kara was quick to cut her off. "No, Lena. Your response wasn't the one I was hoping for, but that is more on me than you." Kara shook her head. "I can't say I would have handled it much better if I had been in your shoes."

Lena smiled weakly. "That's kind of you to say, but I think you're doing just fine." Lena nodded toward the Ali, nursing happily in Kara's arms.

"While it was a shock to me, it's not the same thing," Kara insisted. It had taken her a little time, and a few lectures, but she had come to realize the truth of that statement. Kara smiled at her friend. "I'm really glad you changed your mind about meeting her."

"So am I," Lena admitted with a small nod of her head.

"What made you change your mind? I know you said you just wanted to check on her, and offer assistance, but you could have done that with a phone call. Not that I'm complaining," Kara hastened to add. "I think it's great that you changed your mind. Just, after the other day, I wasn't expecting it, and I just wondered..." Kara didn't want to push Lena, but at the same time, she felt that the situation needed some acknowledgment. Kara didn't know what, if anything, Lena's change of heart meant. Decisions about Ali's future would need to be made in the very near future, and Kara needed to determine where Lena currently stood.

A faint flush stained Lena's cheeks, and she broke eye contact with Kara. "It's not my proudest moment, but when I heard you had her at the DEO, I may have jumped to the wrong conclusion." Seeing Kara's frown, Lena hastened to add, "I see now that I was wrong."

"What kind of conclusion?" Kara asked, confused.

"Half-Luthor, half-Daxamite, being held at at a secret government agency known for containing alien threats." Lena shrugged.

Kara's eyes flashed, unable to fully contain the surge of anger that coursed through her at the implication. "You really think we, that _I_ , would let them do anything to hurt her?" Kara demanded. "She's not being held, Lena. I just don't have anywhere safe to keep her in case I get called out on Supergirl duty. Plus, we still needed to-"

Lena placed her hand on Kara's forearm, gaining her attention, and stopping her protest. "I know. As I said, it wasn't a proud moment. It is difficult to unlearn a lifetime of suspicion of other people's motives," Lena said, mouth twisted in a wry smile. "As soon as I saw you with her, I realized my concerns were unfounded."

Kara released a heavy breath, releasing the air, and the tension that she had been holding. "I would never let anything happen to her," Kara insisted earnestly.

"I believe you," Lena reassured Kara. "She's very lucky to have you." Lena sat back, removing her arm from Kara's arm. Lena folded her hands in her lap. "How are you going to handle the balance between your Supergirl duties, and her, long term? Surely Eliza doesn't plan to stay indefinitely."

Kara frowned, confused by the question. Kara looked at Ali, who was almost finished with her bottle, looking content, eyelids drooping. Directing her gaze back to Lena, Kara explained, "It's only going to be for a little while, so we'll make it work as best as we can."

It was Lena's turn to frown. "Oh, I thought you were...Are you not…"

Finally, realization dawned on Kara. "Oh! No, I'm not...I wish I could, but I...It's not that I don't want to," Kara insisted. Kara's first thought, upon learning that Lena didn't want to take her daughter, had been that she would take Ali herself. Who better than Kara, who had experienced a similar fate, to help guide her?

However, it hadn't taken her long to realize that it just couldn't work. Not if she planned to remain Supergirl. And as much as her heart ached for Ali, she couldn't imagine going back to being just Kara Danvers. To knowing she had the power to help people, to save people, but she was choosing not to.

It was only now, when faced with a similar choice, that she was able to let go of some of the anger and resentment she had long held deep in her heart toward Kal. While she had not been an infant, she had been essentially helpless in this foreign world. Kal had still been trying to adjust to life as Superman. It would have been an impossible task to do both, so he had had to make an equally impossible decision.

She was going to have to make the same choice, the only choice, that Kal had, but she vowed she would do one thing differently. While she couldn't keep Ali with her and raise her, she wouldn't just disappear from her life either. Kara now understood why Kal hadn't been able to take her, but she still didn't understand why he had been so absent. She refused to simply abandon Ali.

"Oh, I just thought…" Lena trailed off, looking taken aback. She looked to Ali, still snuggled contentedly in Kara's arms. "Where is she...Who's taking her?" Lena reached up to grasp her necklace, only to find it missing. She tightened her jaw, and squared her shoulders as if bracing for a blow.

Kara gazed down at Ali. "I don't know yet," Kara finally admitted. "I was thinking of maybe asking Clark."

When she had mentioned the idea of Alex and Maggie taking Ali, she had been joking, but if there was a way to keep Ali in the family, Kara wanted to take it. She hadn't had a chance to talk to Clark yet. Didn't even know if he and Lois would be open to the idea. But if she couldn't keep Ali herself, there was no one she trusted more. Unlike her, Clark would have Lois to help share the load. Kara wasn't wild about the distance, but with her super speed, it wouldn't be that hard to visit more often.

Lena's let out a sharp, incredulous laugh. "You must be joking."

Kara frowned, feeling the need to defend her cousin. "Clark would make a great father. I know you haven't had the most positive experiences with him in the past, but I thought you saw a different side of him when he did his article."

"One article doesn't erase years of animosity and suspicion towards my family," Lena insisted.

"That was because of Lex," Kara countered. "He knows you're not like that."

"Does he? Because as I recall, his first instinct was to think I was involved. Once a Luthor…Surely there must be other options."

Kara wanted to point out the most obvious option was sitting in front of her, but she bit back the retort. "Whoever takes her is going to have to be aware of, and able to deal with, her powers. That is going to be a very short list. Clark got lucky when the Kent's found him. I was lucky that he found the Danvers. Here's hoping the third time's also a charm. If Clark is in favor of the idea..."

"A Super raising a Luthor?" Lena laughed, the sound void of humor. She shook her head. "No."

Kara sighed. "We don't exactly have a lot of options, Lena. As much as I would like to, I can't keep her forever. Eliza is making it possible for now, but at some point, she will have to go home. I refuse to house her at the DEO when I can't be with her." Kara looked down at the Ali, who had fallen back to sleep after finishing her bottle. Kara set the bottle aside and brushed her hand lightly over the baby's head. "She deserves a family. To grow up in a home."

Lena stood and began pacing back and forth, rubbing her hand across the back of her neck. Kara knew that Lena only did that when she was feeling especially stressed or uncertain about something. Kara heard Lena's heart start to hammer in her chest, and looked at her in concern.

Kara watched her friend silently for a few moments, not sure if she should interrupt, or let her work through whatever she was thinking. Lena finally came to a halt, her whole body stilling.

"I can take her."

It was a toss up as to who looked more shocked by the words.

"What?" Kara blurted. She started to rise, only to realize that she still help Ali in her arms. Not wanting to disturb the baby, Kara placed her gently on the medical bed and raised the side rails to ensure she wouldn't accidentally roll off.

Kara grasped Lena by the upper arm and led her gently away from the bed. Kara couldn't help but feel like she had somehow guilted Lena into making this decision.

"Lena, you don't have to do this. We'll figure something out. I know I came on a little strong, a lot strong when I first told you. I shouldn't have done that. It wasn't fair to you. I was thinking more about myself than anything else, and it wasn't fair of me to put that on you."

Lena clasped Kara's hand. "It's okay Kara, this is my decision."

Kara shook her head. "It doesn't have to be Clark," Kara continued on as though she hadn't heard Lena. "I don't even know if he would want to do it. It was just an idea. We will find someone though. Even if it takes a little longer than planned. I can take a temporary leave, J'onn can fill in for me if needed."

"Kara," Lena said firmly, squeezing her hand as hard as she could to gain her attention. "I want to do this."

Kara looked at her dubiously. "Three days ago you wanted nothing to do with her. This seems like an abrupt change of heart."

Lena dropped Kara's hand and stepped back slightly. "Yes, well, sometimes people change their minds." Lena drew in a deep breath. "I would be lying if I said I had suddenly embraced the idea of instant motherhood. But…" Lena looked past Kara's shoulder at the small form sleeping peacefully on the bed. "I realized you were right. She's family. It's my responsibility to at least try to take care of her."

Kara shook her head. "It's not. I should never have said that. I'll find another way."

"I've made up my mind on this, Kara. If she was a distant cousin, I wouldn't turn her away. This isn't that different."

"Lena, I don't…" Kara bit her lip, unsure of how to proceed. Part of her was happy that Lena wanted to take Ali. It would mean she would stay close, and Kara would be able to be a regular part of her life.

That happiness was overshadowed by the feeling that Lena didn't really want to do this. Lena looked resolute, and determined, but not happy. Like she was working the most favorable terms on a business deal she would rather not be a part of in the first place.

"Are you sure about this?" Kara finally asked. "Really thought about what this means?"

"I run a multi-billion dollar global corporation. I think I know how to analyze a situation and make an informed decision."

Kara frowned. That response was hardly reassuring. "This isn't a business deal, and you didn't answer my question," Kara rebuked gently. Her intent wasn't to offend Lena, but to really make sure this is what she wanted.

"I'm aware it's not a business deal," Lena retorted sharply. Lena drew a deep breath, and let it out again, trying to calm herself. "I know it's not a business deal," Lena repeated, more evenly. "But to answer your question, yes. I am very aware of what this all means."

"Are you really sure about this?" Kara asked again.

Lena let out a short laugh but nodded her head. "I am. Or at least, as sure as I can be." Lena looked at Kara intently. "I can't guarantee I will be any good at this. It may be a total disaster, but I feel like I have to try. If it's really something I can't do, I'll let you know, and we can figure out another arrangement. If nothing else, it will buy you some time."

Kara bit her lip, still uncertain. Kara turned to gaze at the still sleeping infant. Letting go of her was going to be far harder than Kara had anticipated. In only a few days she had grown impossibly attached. The love she felt for Ali had been sudden, but what it lacked in longevity, it made up for in intensity.

"Let me do this," Lena urged. Hearing the note of entreaty in Lena's voice, Kara shook her head. This wasn't her decision to make. Even if Lena wasn't ready, or willing, to say it, she was Ali's mother.

"You don't need my permission, Lena, you're her mother," Kara finally said. Realizing Lena may not be ready for that moniker, Kara turned to Lena to offer and apology. "I'm sorry, I know that you're not...I didn't mean.."

Lena smiled softly. "It's okay. You're right, I'm not ready to be anyone's mother, but," Lena shook her head, "I think I can be her guardian. Or at least try. I feel like I need to try."

Kara nodded. "Okay." Kara turned again, needing to see Ali. "Did you want to take her now?"

"Now?" Lena asked, clearly alarmed by the idea. "I...I suppose I could, but I don't have anything set up. This wasn't exactly my plan when I came here today," Lena admitted.

"I can keep her for a few more day," Kara quickly offered. As much as she knew she had to let Ali go, she wasn't ready. Not yet. If she could get a few more days with her, and at the same time allow Lena time to prepare, what was the harm?

"Are you sure?"

Kara nodded, emphatically. "I'd be happy to."

"Alright. I guess that's it then?" Lena said a little uncertainly. "I should go. I have a lot to get ready, and no idea where to start.

"If you want, I can come over, and we can figure out what you need to do to get ready? Kara offered. "I can even bring Maggie and Alex. Maggie can answer whatever baby questions you have, and Alex...Alex can get us takeout." Seeing her again, Kara realized how much she had truly been missing spending time with Lena.

"I don't want to impose on them," Lena demurred.

"You're not." Kara insisted. "I'm offering. Family takes care of each other."

Lena looked nonplussed by the statement, but finally nodded her head. "Thank you."

Kara smiled. For the first time since Mon-El had appeared in her bedroom with Ali, Kara felt like maybe everything was going to work out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. Life, and my inherent laziness, got in the way. I know everyone and their third cousin's hairdresser's lawn boy has chimed in on the SDCC stuff, so all I want to say is that I full intend to continue this story. I have always seen fanfiction as a way to make everything a little bit gayer (since it so rarely is in canon), and that hasn't changed. 


	6. What to Expect When Your Baby Has Superpowers

"Are you sure about this?" Alex asked Kara, giving her sister a sideways glance.

Kara shrugged and punched the elevator button for Lena's floor. She was glad that Lena had agreed to take Ali, really, she was. It was just proving harder to say good-bye than she had anticipated. Which was silly; Ali was never hers to begin with, and it wasn't like she was never going to see the girl again. Still, it was hard.

Kara had realized a long time ago that a normal life, and a family, would no longer be part of her future. Not on Earth. For a brief moment, with Mon-El, she had thought maybe, but that too had proved impossible. So while rationally Kara knew there was no way she could keep Ali, a part of her had still held onto the possibility.

"I'm fine," Kara insisted.

"Really?" Alex asked skeptically. "Is that why you're about to pulverize that button to dust?"

Kara flushed guiltily and clasped her hands behind her back to resist hitting the button again. "I'm just not used to waiting for elevators. They're slow," Kara insisted.

"Uh huh," Alex said doubtfully. "You're allowed to be upset, Kara."

"I'm not upset," Kara replied stubbornly.

"I'm just saying, if you were upset, that would be totally normal."

"But I'm not."

"But if you were."

"Alex!" Kara cried, exasperated. "Lena is her mother, and this is where she belongs. The only way I have been able to keep her with me for this long is thanks to all of Eliza's help.

Besides, it's not like I'm never going to see her again. Lena and I are friends, good friends, and I plan on keeping her, and Ali, part of my life. There's nothing to be upset about."

Alex nodded her head but continued to eye her sister with concern. "So, not upset then."

"Nope," Kara insisted, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I think all Alex is trying to say is that it's okay to be a little sad," Maggie interjected.

Kara let out a sigh. It was clear that neither one of them was going to let this go. "Okay. Fine. I'm a little upset. Happy?"

"Of course I'm not happy that you're upset," Alex chided gently. "I just don't want you to pretend that everything is fine when it clearly isn't. It's not healthy."

Kara snorted. "You're one to talk." Alex Danvers could give a master class in suppressing her emotions and needs. Kara still felt more than a little bit of guilt about all that her sister had given up for her over the years.

"Hey! I'm working on that," Alex defended herself.

Kara laughed. "Because Maggie makes you," Kara teased good naturedly.

"Still counts," Alex insisted.

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. "Finally," Kara grumbled. "Next time I'm taking the direct route and leaving you two to fend for yourselves."

"I'll remember that the next time you blow out your powers and you call me to bring you an order of potstickers from your favorite restaurant, that refuses to deliver no matter how large an order you place, but you are just 'too tired' to get them yourself."

"Mean," Kara pouted, as the trio boarded the elevator. "You'll still bring them to me, right Maggie?" Kara turned toward the detective with a pleading, pitiful look on her face.

Maggie shook her head and laughed. "Sorry, but I am immune to the Danvers' pout."

"Are you now?" Alex asked with a knowing smirk. "Because I'm pretty sure I remember-" The rest of Alex's sentence was cut off when Maggie poked Alex in the side.

"Do you really want to finish that sentence, Danvers?" Maggie asked pointedly, cutting a sideways glance to Kara.

Alex squinted her eyes thoughtfully. Kara could see her weighing the benefit of proving herself right against what Kara was sure would be an embarrassing, and no doubt sexual, anecdote. Whatever silent threat Maggie was sending her via her stare must have one out, because Alex ultimately remained silent.

Kara shook her head at the pair's antics. Kara was always careful to keep it hidden from Alex, not wanting to make her sister feel guilty, but she was occasionally envious of the relationship between the two. Maggie and Alex may constantly tease and poke at each other, but it was never done in anger or annoyance. Kara had never had that type of easy back and forth in any of her previous relationships.

The elevator, while slow to arrive, was fast to deliver them to their destination. Despite knowing Lena for almost two years, she had only visited her apartment a few times. Kara had always gotten the impression that Lena valued her privacy, and wasn't eager to let others into her personal space. Kara had tried not to let it bother her, but it had stung a bit to realize that Lena didn't want to let her in. She considered Lena one of her closest friends, and she knew Lena felt the same way. However, while Kara maintained very few boundaries with those she was closest to, it was clear Lena didn't view it the same way.

* * *

Lena Luthor was not an indecisive person. Running a company the size and scope of L-Corp didn't leave much room for second guessing your decisions. Which wasn't to say she made rash decisions. It was just that once the pros and cons had been examined, and the decision made, Lena rarely doubted herself.

Lena had almost called Kara four times to tell her that she had changed her mind and that Ali would surely be better off somewhere else. Anywhere else.

Lena still wasn't sure what had come over her when she had agreed to take Ali. One moment she was listening to Kara outline her plans for the baby. Plans that included possibly sending her off to live with Clark Kent; Superman. Her brother's arch enemy, and no great fan of hers. All Lena could picture was a lifetime of constant suspicion and mistrust. Always being watched, just waiting for her to make that one misstep that proved she was just as evil as the rest of her family. The next moment, Lena was insisting on taking the baby herself.

It had seemed like a good idea at the time. Nobody deserved to live under a black cloud of suspicion, and though Kara had insisted Clark wouldn't hold Ali's heritage against her, Lena was far from convinced. Lena was still far from convinced, but for another reason entirely. What did she know about raising a baby?

Lena didn't know anything about how to be a mother. While her own may have loved her, Lena was too young to remember anything but the vaguest of memories. Lillian had never hidden her dislike, and Lionel had been largely absent; his attention consumed by his company. As someone who regularly spent eighteen hour days at the office, leaving only when her body threatened to revolt if she didn't sleep or eat, Lena could relate.

Lena knew what it was like to grow up wanting for nothing, except the one thing she would never have; love and attention from her parents. Lena had little doubt that she could provide for the girls material needs. It was the emotional ones she had more doubts about. By taking Ali, was she dooming the girl to the same emotionally bereft childhood?

Lena's entire focus for the last two years had been L-Corp. Would she be able to divert her time and attention from the company, and make room for Ali in her life? Did she even want to? While she had agreed to take the child, and couldn't deny that she had felt...something, when she held her, Lena hadn't really changed her mind about motherhood.

Besides the fear over her ability to nurture the child, there were also more practical concerns. A fully human baby would have been challenging enough, but Ali's unique parentage was sure to complicate the matter even further. She would need to hire a nanny, but due to Ali's powers, that would take time, and careful vetting. In the meantime, Lena would need to keep the baby close. As a Luthor, and the head of L-Corp, Lena was constantly in the public eye. Even if she was inclined to keep Ali's existence hidden, it would be almost impossible to accomplish.

The heir to the Luthor empire suddenly showing up everywhere, with a baby who bore a striking resemblance, was bound to raise some questions. Questions that Lena wasn't sure she knew how to answer. There could be no doubt that Lena and Ali were closely related. Just like there could be equally no doubt that Lena hadn't been pregnant. Lena had been adamant about people having the right to know that aliens were living in their midst, but now, on the other side, she found that she wasn't eager to reveal the truth about Ali.

Public perception of the Luthors seemed to be slowly shifting, but Lena wasn't naive. As a Luthor, it would only take one small misstep to have public perception swinging back to the negative. Add to that her other parent was part of a race of aliens that had tried to enslave the populace of National City, and Lena felt it would be like having two strikes against her before she ever really got the chance to start.

However, the time for doubts had passed. Building security had announced their arrival, and Lena was expecting Kara, Maggie, and Alex at any moment. Lena felt badly about taking up the other women's valuable time, but she knew that if she had any hope of succeeding, she would need all the help they were offering. Part of Lena felt she didn't deserve their help and kindness, but she realized this wasn't about her; it was about Ali. Lena was doing all of this to try to give Ali a fair start, and if that meant swallowing her pride and discomfort, then Lena would do what was needed.

Even though she was expecting them, when the doorbell rang, Lena still startled at the sound. Her apartment was the only one on the floor, but she hadn't liked the idea of an elevator opening directly into her living space. Taking a deep steadying breath, Lena opened the door. She was treated by a beaming Kara Danvers, and she felt her heart give a little kick of excitement. It was a common occurrence around the blonde.

Before she could react, Kara was sweeping in, not waiting to be invited, and enveloping Lena in a hug. Lena froze momentarily, before raising her arms to return the embrace. It wasn't that the two didn't hug, but it was not typically something they did in greeting.

"How are you doing? Are you freaking out? You look a little freaked out," Kara rambled, releasing Lena and stepping away.

"And here I thought I was hiding it so well," Lena said with a rueful chuckle. Lena shouldn't have been surprised that Kara had been able to see through her facade. The blonde had always had a knack for seeing past Lena's carefully constructed public image, and to the real person, she usually kept hidden.

"I pay attention to the people I care about," Kara answered honestly.

Lena resisted the urge to look away from Kara's steady gaze. The warmth and caring fairly radiated from the other woman, and it made Lena uncomfortable to be on the receiving end. Lena's belief that she didn't deserve Kara's compassion hadn't changed.

Lena shrugged. "I'll be fine," she replied with a confidence she didn't feel. Unable to look into Kara's soft, blue eyes any longer, she shifted her attention to Maggie and Alex, who were still hovering in the entry way. "Please come in. I know you all must be busy and I don't want to waste any more of your time than necessary."

"We're happy to help," Alex replied, stepping into the apartment. "If it wasn't for this, Maggie was going to drag me to yoga, followed by a trip to an organic juice bar that specializes in wheat grass shots. Trust me, you're doing me a favor."

Maggie backhanded Alex playfully across the stomach. "I thought you said yoga was growing on you?"

"That was before the trips to the juice bar."

Maggie shook her head. "I don't know why I try. You're a lost cause, Danvers."

"You should take Lena," Kara interrupted. "She loves all that healthy stuff. You two can go eat your green, healthy, super shots, and Alex and I can stay home and binge on pizza and ice cream."

Lena experienced a quick flush of warmth, followed by an immediate sense of regret. She was sure Kara hadn't intended the statement to sound so domestic. Regardless, Lena's mind had wandered to what it would be like be dating Kara. To having casual get-togethers with Kara's sister and fiance. To being part of a couple.

Lena ruthlessly shoved the thoughts away. Kara was her friend; nothing more. Lena didn't have the time to waste on fanciful thoughts and daydream about things that would never happen. She had to focus on running her company, atoning for her part in the destruction of National City, and taking care of Ali to the best of her ability.

"I'm sure that Maggie would much prefer Alex's company," Lena replied. Entering the living room, she waved the trio towards the couch. "Besides, I think my schedule will be rather full in the coming weeks and months." Instead of settling on the couch with the other three, Lena sat on a chair across from them. It was an unconscious action; Lena was used to setting herself apart.

"Nice digs," Maggie complemented, looking around the spacious living room.

"Thank you," Lena replied automatically. In truth, she barely noticed her surroundings anymore. She knew from an objective standpoint, her living arrangements were luxurious, but she had grown up surrounded by extreme wealth, and it had long since ceased to impress her. The thing Lena cherished most about her apartment was that it afforded her privacy.

Lena folded her hands in her lap, and perched stiffly on her seat, back perfectly straight. She wasn't used to having people over, not even Kara, and she found the experience unsettling. The fact that they were here because she had invited another person to invade her space on a permanent basis, probably played no small part in that discomfort.

"So, how many times did you change your mind?" Alex asked, breaking the stilted silence that the group had fallen into.

Lena startled and met the agent's knowing look. "Pardon?"

"About taking Ali," Alex clarified.

Lena shook her head instinctively, not wanting to admit to her indecision. Especially not in front of Kara. She knew that her friend already had doubts about handing the baby over to Lena, and she didn't want to do anything to add to them. "Oh, no, I didn't-"

Alex cut her off with an inelegant huff. "Please. Only a total idiot wouldn't have had a few doubts."

"Alex," Kara hissed at her sister. "Leave her alone!"

Lena appreciated the defense, but she detected no acrimony in Alex's question. Instead, the older woman was giving her a look of quiet understanding. Lena almost would have preferred hostility; that she at least knew how to handle.

Finally, her shoulders slumping slightly in defeat, Lena sighed. "Only about a half a dozen." Seeing the still skeptical look, Lena laughed, feeling more of the tension she was holding drain away. "Ten at the most."

Alex nodded, seemingly satisfied.

Lena looked at Kara, worried she would be upset with the admission. Instead of anger or disappointment, she found Kara smiling at her reassuringly.

"I am committed to doing this," Lena insisted. "I'm just not used to being quite so uninformed about, well, anything. It's a new experience for me." Lena frowned slightly. "And not one I can say I overly enjoy."

Kara smiled at her brightly, almost bouncing in her seat. "That's what we're here for," Kara replied. "Whatever you need to know, just ask."

Lena arched on her eyebrows. "I hope you set aside most of the day, because this may take a while."

True to her prediction, the questions did indeed take a while.

Alex, being a doctor and a scientist, had started by filling Lena in on all of the particulars. Thankfully, the tests Eliza had run had shown that while Ali would be slightly more susceptible to lead than the average human, the trace amounts in the atmosphere didn't appear to pose any long term threat to her health.

Much like Kara, her body's cells metabolized at a much faster rate than a normal human, and it would require a substantial caloric intake to keep her healthy.

"Lucky for you, we were able to make a few adjustments to an existing formula. It's a pretty basic blend of amino acids, proteins, and essential vitamins. It is also extremely calorie dense, so you won't be up every hour because she's hungry."

"That's wonderful. Thank you," Lena replied sincerely. "It's quite lucky you already had something similar at the DEO."

Alex laughed. "Oh yeah, we learned the hard way, that someone gets quite grumpy if they don't get their bottle after a strenuous mission."

The way Kara flushed red and glared at her sister, left no doubt in Lena's mind to whom Alex was referring. "It's a protein shake," Kara insisted stubbornly. "It's not my fault that I burn through thousands of calories when I use my powers. I just think you're envious that I can eat whatever I want and never have to worry about gaining a pound," Kara taunted her sister.

Lena shook her head. "Alex wouldn't be the only one."

Next, they had moved on to Ali's strength. Much like her sensitivity to lead, it was somewhere between that of a normal human, and a full Daxamite.

"Will a normal crib be strong enough?" Lena asked in concern. In preparation for Ali's arrival, Lena had ordered a full set of nursery furniture. Everything was sitting in what had been a former guest room, awaiting final set up. Lena hadn't wanted the uncomfortable questions that would come along with a request to set up a nursery, so she had simply had the items delivered.

"For now," Alex answered. "With the difference in gestation time, and her metabolic differences, it's hard to pinpoint an exact human equivalent age, but we put her somewhere around two to three months. A normal crib should hold her while she is still fairly stationary. Once she starts to crawl, hopefully not for a few more months, all bets are off."

Lena nodded her head thoughtfully, going through the list of L-Corp projects that may be suitable for use in an ultra durable crib.

"If you want, the DEO has a number of portable containment units that are made of a Tungsten-Titanium alloy. It has held up against just about every alien we have thrown at it."

"Alex, we aren't keeping Ali in a cage!" Kara exclaimed horrified. Maggie simply shook her head and buried her face in her hands.

"We could modify it," Alex defended herself stubbornly. "I wasn't suggesting we just put her in it as is. Give me a little credit."

Given the skeptical way Kara was looking at her sister, Lena wasn't sure she was convinced.

"That's an….interesting suggestion," Lena interrupted diplomatically. "However, I think I may have a better solution. L-Corp developed a light, moldable, polymer alloy a few years ago that I think may work." Lena chuckled ruefully. "If my desk managed to withstand the Daxamite assault without breaking apart, I think a crib made of the same material should hold up okay."

They had also covered the more basic aspects of infant care. Nap times, feeding times, how to change a diaper. If Lena's head had been swimming before, it now felt like it was being swamped by a tidal wave.

Lena wasn't sure if Kara sensed her need for a break, or maybe just needed one herself, but she suggested that they go check out the nursery.

One thing that Lena's apartment wasn't lacking, was space. The only difficult part had been picking which of her guest rooms would make the best space for a nursery. Practicality had prevailed, and Lena had emptied the room nearest her own.

The room was spacious; if a bit stark. Even if she had had the time to get the room painted, she would have no idea what theme would be appropriate for a nursery. Instead, the room's walls were painted a cool, pale blue. All of the furniture had been removed, and an assortment of boxes filled the space. The only piece of furniture was a crib. Lena had assembled it herself the night before. Sleep had been impossible, and she had been happy to have something to occupy her mind and her hands.

Lena watched silently as Kara walked over to the crib and ran her finger lightly over the smooth top rail.

Kara turned, taking in the mounds of boxes. "Wow. I was going to offer to bring over the things we already bought for Ali, but it doesn't look like that will be necessary."

"Did you just buy out the entire baby section?" Maggie asked curiously as she poked through the nearest stack of boxes.

Lena flushed slightly. That was exactly what she had done. "I wasn't sure what I would need," she defended. "I like to be prepared."

Maggie gave a short laugh. "Well, I think you are covered for any circumstance that may pop up." Maggie picked up a box containing a baby monitor. "I'm pretty sure this is nicer than the equipment I used on my last stakeout."

Kara frowned at the assortment of boxes thoughtfully. "Are you going to have someone come in and set everything up after we leave?"

Lena shook her head. "I figured the fewer people that were involved at this point, the better. I was going to set it up later this evening."

"We'll help," Kara insisted excitedly. "It'll be fun."

Lena shook her head, declining the offer. "Oh no, that's not necessary. You all have already spent almost all day here. I appreciate the offer, but I'll be fine." Lena smiled slightly. "I do have an advanced engineering degree. Plus, Eliza must want a break."

Kara waved off the comment. "Eliza is in heaven, and loving every minute of "Grandma" time. I've practically had to pry Ali out of her hands if I want to hold her." Kara crossed her arms. "Besides, engineering degree or not, you still only have two hands. You'll be up all night trying to get this put together. We insist. Don't we?" Kara directed the question pointedly at Maggie and Alex.

Lena expected Alex to protest. She had spent her entire Saturday teaching Lena, a virtual stranger, the basics of alien baby care. Surely there were countless other things she would rather do with her precious free time. To Lena's surprise, she saw the agent nodding her head in apparent sincerity. "Of course."

Lena opened her mouth to protest further, but Alex caught her eye and shook her head. The message was clear.  _You know how stubborn she can be, just give in now, and save yourself some time._  Lena relented with a sigh.

"Thank you. Again. However, if you are going to stay and help, I insist on at least feeding you first."

To no one's surprise, Kara accepted enthusiastically.

* * *

"Was it safe to send the two of them?" Lena asked, breaking the awkward silence that had developed between the pair. After Lena had offered to get dinner for everyone, Kara had insisted that she be in charge of the ordering. Something about the fact that the last time Lena ordered, there hadn't been anything edible to be found. Lena felt that Kara was being overly dramatic, but hadn't put up a fight.

Unfortunately, Kara had also insisted on going to pick up the food, taking Alex along, and had left Lena alone with Maggie. To say the situation was uncomfortable would be putting it mildly. While Lena had done some contract work with the DEO and had spent a little bit of time around Alex, she hadn't seen Maggie since the other woman had placed her in handcuffs and marched her out of L-Corp.

"You'll be safe," Maggie laughed reassuringly. "Left to her own devices I think Alex would live on pizza and ice cream, but she knows I require vegetables on a regular basis. She'll make sure that Kara doesn't just get piles greasy, unhealthy food."

Lena smiled softly. "That must be nice," Lena said a bit wistfully.

"It is," Maggie replied. Maggie looked as though she wanted to say something, but shook her head lightly. She picked up the baby monitor box. "What do you say we get this installed?"

Lena quickly agreed, thankful for any distraction. The monitor had four wireless cameras, which would provide full coverage of the room. Lena knew she was probably being a bit overzealous, but she didn't want any blind spots. She didn't have a step ladder, really, why would she, but Maggie only shrugged, and grabbed one of her dining room chairs instead.

"Can I do anything to help?" Lena asked, standing uncertainly beside the chair as Maggie clambered on.

"Hand me the tools and materials?" Maggie offered.

"I think I can manage that," Lena replied drily. She was not typically in the habit of assisting on any project she was involved in. However, she also didn't relish the idea of climbing up on the chair. It wasn't an ideal height, and Maggie had to stretch up onto her tiptoes to reach the spot she wanted to install the camera. The whole setup looked rather precarious, and Lena hoped the other woman had good balance. She didn't want to have to explain to Alex that she had broken her fiance.

The pair worked in relative silence, only exchanging words when Maggie required a different tool or the next camera. Before Lena knew it, they were installing the last camera.

"So, how are you really doing with all this?" Maggie asked suddenly. Lena looked at the other woman, startled that she was breaking the tacit silence.

"Fine. Good," Lena responded automatically.

Maggie paused in her work, and glanced over her shoulder, staring at Lena pointedly. "Really?" Maggie insisted skeptically. "Because less than a week ago, you wanted nothing to do with the kid and were ready to sign her away without a second thought. That's one hell of a fast turn around."

Lena stiffened at the reminder. She shouldn't be surprised that Kara had talked to her family, but somehow the idea of Kara venting to her family about Lena still stung. "I changed my mind," Lena replied cooly.

Maggie looked at her a moment longer, before turning back to her work. "Obviously. That wasn't the question though. How are you actually doing with all this? It had to be quite a shock."

"I'm a Luthor. Unpleasant family surprises come with the territory," Lena quipped sarcastically. Lena snapped her mouth shut. She hadn't meant to say that. Hadn't even realized she had been thinking. She waited for Maggie's rebuke. It didn't come.

"All done," Maggie said, hopping down off the chair. Lena eyed the other woman warily. Maggie noticed Lena's tense posture and tilted her head to one side. There was a gentleness directed at her from Maggie that Lena had only ever seen in Kara previously.

"You're not going to say anything?" Lena demanded, not able to tolerate the look of silent understanding any longer. It was hard enough to accept from Kara. From Maggie, a woman she didn't know, it felt something akin to pity.

Still smiling softly, which only made Lena more annoyed, Maggie shook her head. "Not much to say. I think it's commendable. I'm not sure I would have handled it half as well."

Lena scoffed and crossed her arms protectively across her chest. Maggie's reaction was confusing her, and Lena didn't like being confused. She had expected judgment, not compassion. "From everything I've heard, you've been great with her."

Maggie nodded. "I like kids. Always have. But that has nothing to do with it. If someone showed up on my doorstep and told me that I had a kid, a kid I had no say in creating..," Maggie shook her head. "No one could blame you if you wanted nothing to do with her. A lot of women don't."

Lena stiffened, finally realizing where all of Maggie's questions had been leading. "It's not the same thing," Lena replied flatly. She wasn't one of the many victims that Maggie saw in the course of her work, and she resented the implication that she was.

Maggie shrugged. "Not exactly, but it's not that far off."

Lena eyed Maggie suspiciously, not understanding where all of this seeming concern for her was coming from. Usually, if people were nice to her, there was a reason. Lena just couldn't figure out what her angle was.

"I appreciate your concern, Detective, but I really am fine. This wasn't a traumatic event, merely an unexpected, and inconvenient, one."

Maggie made a humming sound, but Lena couldn't tell if she was agreeing, or merely acknowledging Lena's statement. "Just, if you ever want to talk…" Maggie trailed off, shrugging. "I could put you in touch with someone."

Lena had to resist the urge to laugh in the detective's face. Even if she ever did feel compelled to talk to someone, Maggie Sawyer would be on the bottom of that list. Lena wondered if Kara had put Maggie up to this, but she couldn't fathom how Kara would think it was a good idea.

Lena shook off the thoughts and smiled tightly. "I'll keep it in mind." Lena grabbed the chair, intending to return it to the dining room, and effectively ending the conversation. Maggie trailed silently after her, content to let the subject drop.

Before the silence between the two could become too strained or oppressive the door was banging open, and Kara was entering in a whirlwind of energy. Lena didn't even blink at the numerous bags Kara had looped over her arms or the fact that even she couldn't carry them all. Alex trailed behind, carrying the rest

"Everything go okay?" Kara asked breathlessly, dropping the bags unceremoniously on the table. Lena wasn't sure if Kara could sense the mood of the room, or if she was just being her usual, caring self.

"Everything went wonderfully," Lena replied easily. She had more experience than most at concealing her true emotions, so the minor lie, more of an omission, rolled off her tongue smoothly. "Maggie and I managed to install the baby monitor in the nursery." That part, at least, was true.

Kara darted her gaze from Lena, to Maggie, and then back again. "I'm glad," Kara replied, a relieved smile in place.

"Did you order one of everything on the menu?" Lena chided playfully, peeking into the nearest bag. Nerves had kept her from eating much prior to the trio's arrival, and she was finally feeling hungry. If the diversion also had the benefit of changing the subject, then so much the better.

"No," Alex answered for her sister. "Some things she ordered twice."

"We are going to be working all night. I need to make sure I'm properly fueled," Kara defended herself good naturedly. Lena could tell it was a frequent exchange between the two.

"Did you remember to get me something not slathered in sauce, deep fried, or otherwise nutritionally suspect?" Maggie asked, leaning into Alex's side and trying to peek into the nearest bag.

"Of course she did," Kara huffed playfully. "She made us make a special stop at that vegan burrito place you like so much. A burrito without sour cream and cheese is just...wrong."

"You're the best," Maggie answered, leaning up to place a quick kiss on Alex's cheek. Lena tried to conceal her shock when she saw the usually unflappable agent blush at contact. Kara caught her gaze and rolled her eyes playfully at her sister's reaction. She silently mouthed the word 'whipped' to Lena with a small shrug.

"Oh, you're one to talk," Alex retorted, catching the exchange. "Who was it that insisted we had to go to the Green Leaf and get a roasted butternut squash and buckwheat salad because it was Lena's favorite?" Alex couldn't conceal her disgust at the food item.

Lena looked at Kara, who was flushing in embarrassment. "You did that for me?" Lena was reminded of her earlier comment to Maggie.

"Of course," Kara responded, as though the answer should have been obvious.

It was Alex's turn to roll her eyes. "Is someone going to grab plates so we can actually eat, or are we just going to stand here talking about our take-out preferences?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes! Sorry for the delay. This took way longer than anticipated. Whatever you do, don't grow up and get a job; worst.decision.ever.


	7. Moving On Up To a Deluxe Apartment in the Sky

For the second time in as many days, Kara found herself waiting for the elevator that would take her to Lena's apartment. Yesterday the wait seemed to take forever. Today the doors opened almost as soon as she had pressed the button. Drawing Ali a bit closer to her chest, she reluctantly stepped inside. After only a brief hesitation, she punched the button that would take them to the top floor.

"It's going to be great," Kara promised the baby softly, not sure if she was trying to convince Ali, or herself. "You're going to have your very own room. Not just a crib pushed into the corner. Me, and Aunties Alex and Maggie, and your… and Lena spent all day yesterday getting it ready for you." Ali looked up at her intently, lulled by the sound of her voice, even if she didn't understand the actual words.

"You should see all the toys and stuff she bought," Kara continued, trying to keep her voice upbeat. "I know you're still a little bit too young to actually play with them yet, but in a few months, when you can get around a bit more, you're going to love it."

"And I'll come and visit you whenever you want," Kara promised. All too soon, the doors were sliding open, and Kara stepped off onto Lena's floor. She walked slowly down the hallway, hiking the diaper bag strap onto her shoulder.

She knew that Lena had everything that Ali would need, and more, but she had wanted to bring some of the baby's smaller items. The blanket that she had arrived in, that Ali had a hard time falling asleep without. The small stuffed dog that Kara had bought that Ali liked to put in her mouth and chew on.

Kara raised her hand to knock, but before she could make contact, the door swung open. Lena stood before her looking even more nervous than the day before.

"Are you ready for us?" Kara asked with a smile that she hoped conveyed more calm and confidence than she was actually feeling.

Lena nodded, moving back to allow them to enter. Her hand moved to her throat, reaching for a necklace that wasn't there. Lena noticed the direction of Kara's gaze and dropped her hand to her side.

"Habit," she responded with a shrug. "I figured after what happened last time, it would be better to be safe than sorry."

"Probably a good idea," Kara replied. She glanced down at the baby with a smile. "She does like to grab for anything shiny, and unfortunately, doesn't know her own strength."

Kara continued into the living room and took a seat on the couch, dropping the diaper bag next to her feet. Lena trailed behind, and unlike yesterday, sat beside Kara on the couch. Kara nodded towards the bag.

"I know you have just about anything you could ever need, but I wanted to bring over a few smaller things that she seems particularly fond of."

"That's very thoughtful, thank you," Lena answered. "I'm sure she'll like that."

"Of course," Kara responded. Kara fidgeted in her seat, not sure what to say next. She had never experienced this type of awkward silence with Lena before. With her hands clasped in her lap, and her gaze flitting to Ali, and then quickly away, Lena seemed similarly discomfited.

Kara let out an exasperated huff, shaking her head. "This is stupid," she said, mostly to herself. "Why is this so weird?" This was directed at Lena.

Lena held her stiff posture for another moment, before slumping back against the couch. "I don't know," Lena said ruefully. "I suppose it's not totally unexpected. This isn't exactly a routine situation."

Kara laughed. "Thank Rao for that. Can you imagine?"

"I'd rather not," Lena responded. "Living it once is more than enough."

The tension broken, Kara slumped back on the couch and turned her head to meet Lena's gaze. "This all must seem so surreal," Kara offered. In the few days that had passed since breaking the news to Lena, Kara realized she had never actually gotten the chance to just talk to her. As a friend. Other than when she had first broken the news to Lena, and the brief exchange they had at the DEO, she hadn't spent any time alone with Lena since Ali's arrival.

Kara frowned softly. Actually, it was longer than that. Thinking back over the past few months, Kara concluded that they hadn't spent any time together, just to hang out, since before the invasion. They had seen each other, surely, but it had always been at one public event or another. The frown marring Kara's brow grew deeper. She had been so busy, truthfully, they both had, that she hadn't consciously noticed.

"Are you okay?" Lena asked, breaking into Kara's thoughts.

Kara mustered up a smile and shook her head. Now wasn't the time to dig into the state of their friendship. Even if she had been remiss over the last few months, she wanted to be here for Lena now. "I'm fine," she insisted. "I think I should be the one asking you that," Kara joked.

Lena gazed at her silently for a moment, looking like she wanted to say more, but instead, she shrugged. "I'll adapt. I always do. People face far more trying situations every day. Most without even a fraction of the resources I have at my disposal."

"That's a very diplomatic answer," Kara acknowledged. She tilted her head to the side. "So….totally freaking out then?"

Lena held her composure for another moment, before letting out a slightly manic laugh. "Absolutely."

Kara laughed along with her friend. The motion disturbed Ali, who had started to nod off. The baby let out an unhappy cry. "I'm sorry," she apologized to the baby. "That was very rude of us." Kara glanced at the clock. It's really close to her nap time anyway. It may be a good idea if we just put her down."

"Oh, of course," Lena jumped up, but then stood still, not sure what to do next.

Kara rose from the couch. "Did you want to put her down?" Kara offered hesitantly. Part of Kara selfishly wanted to do it herself, not knowing when her next chance to spend time with Ali would be, but the other part of her knew that Lena was going to have to take over at some point.

Lena looked unsure, but before she could refuse, or Kara could change her mind, she was pushing the baby into Lena's arms.

"Go on," Kara said encouragingly, making sure Lena had a firm grasp on Ali before pulling her hands back. "She likes to take a bottle before her afternoon nap. You go get settled with her, and I'll heat it up and bring it to you."

Kara was already reaching for the diaper bag, and reaching in to grab one of the bottles she had brought over.

Still looking uncertain, Lena nevertheless nodded her head. "Okay. Do you need any help in the kitchen? I can get a pot out first," Lena temporized.

Kara paused in her search, and looked up at Lena, tapping the side of her glasses. "I'll be fine. Now, go." Kara shooed Lena towards the hallway.

* * *

"And here we have your room," Lena informed the infant who was watching her with rapt attention. She felt more than a little silly talking to someone that couldn't talk back, but she had quickly figured out that if she was talking, Ali would focus on her. If she stopped, the baby was much more likely to start fussing. Given the choice between a crying infant, and feeling a little silly, Lena would choose the latter.

Knowing that it would take Kara at least a few minutes to heat the bottle, Lena had decided to take Ali on a quick tour of the apartment, finally ending in the nursery.

Lena looked in the room, still marveling at the transformation from yesterday. What had once been a jumble of boxes and bags, was now a neatly ordered, and welcoming space. It had taken all four of them to get the space into shape, and Lena realized that she would never have been able to do it all herself.

"I know it's rather….bland," Lena confided, taking a seat in the rocking chair. She pushed off with the balls of her feet and started gently rocking back and forth. While Lena had easily filled the room with items, she tended to leave decorating to the professionals. The paint and rugs were the same as when she had used the room as a guest room.

"We can change it if you want." Lena shook her head lightly. It wasn't like the baby was going to have an opinion on the decor. Ali babbled happily and gave her a toothless smile. At least Lena was pretty sure it was a smile. According to the books she had read, it could also be indigestion. "Do you like that idea?" Lena asked softly.

Ali let out a small grunt and flailed her arms excitedly. Lena pulled back, not wanting to accidentally get caught by a stray fist. They may be small, but Lena suspected they would still leave a mark. Explaining a baby to everyone was going to be hard enough, she didn't want to add a black eye to the mix.

"Like what idea?" Kara asked, crossing the room and handing Lena the warmed bottle.

"Thank you. That was fast," Lena said, taking the bottle from Kara with a faint crease between her brows. Lena had spent almost all of her free time, when she wasn't panicking over her decision, reading every parenting and childhood development book she could get her hands on. She knew that microwaving was a no-go, and she also knew that the bottle warmer in her kitchen had a three-and-a-half minute cycle. By her measure, the tour with Ali had only taken a bit more than a minute.

"I've been perfecting my technique," Kara replied proudly.

Lena looked down at the bottle in concern. "You didn't hit this with your heat vision did you?"

"Pfft. No, of course not. I would never do that." Kara reached up to adjust her glasses. "Again." A faint blush stained her cheeks. "I put it in a pot, and heat the water. The trick is to get the water to a boil as quickly as possible. Without, you know, vaporizing it first."

Lena nodded her head, as though that was a totally normal sentence. She supposed for Kara it was. While she now knew the truth about Kara and her powers, they hadn't really spent a lot of time talking about them. While Lena was fascinated, she didn't want to give Kara the wrong impression of her interest. Especially given her family history.

"I guess I won't need that fancy bottle warmer I bought when you're here," Lena teased.

"I'm handy to keep around," Kara teased back.

Before Lena could formulate a response, an unhappy grunt caught her attention. Ali was staring at the bottle, held just out of her reach, with an unhappy frown on her face. Her face started to crumple in frustration, and she let loose an angry cry. Before she could work herself into a full-blown tantrum, Lena popped the nipple into the baby's mouth. Ali let out a satisfied grunt, not unlike one Lena had heard Kara make after shoving a pot sticker in her mouth, and started nursing vigorously on the bottle. A small stream of formula leaked out of her mouth and dribbled down her chin.

Lena looked at Kara, one eyebrow raised. "She seems to have picked up your table manners," Lena deadpanned.

Kara flushed bright red. "I've been getting better!" Kara defended herself. "Maggie refused to go out to eat with me if I didn't learn to slow down."

Lena felt a twinge of regret at the joke. She hadn't meant to upset Kara, or make her feel embarrassed. Though they hadn't spent much time together recently, Lena found herself falling easily into the old patterns of their relationship. She had missed the gentle, teasing banter, but she realized that maybe Kara hadn't taken it that way.

"I was only kidding, Kara," Lena said gently. "You have impeccable table manners." Which, wasn't exactly true, at least not by Luthor standards. But then again, very few people would live up to those.

"You don't have to lie to make me feel better," Kara replied. Lena opened her mouth to correct her but stopped when she saw the half smile on Kara's face. It seemed maybe she had missed their teasing as well.

"Well, you know us Luthors; we just can't help ourselves." There was perhaps a bit more sting to the statement than Lena intended, but other than a fleeting frown, Kara let the self-inflicted barb pass.

Kara crossed her arms behind her back and turned in a slow circle, taking in the nursery. "The room really came together."

"It did," Lena acknowledged. "Be sure to thank your sister and Detective Sawyer for me again when you see them."

Kara turned back to her, a frown creasing her brow. "Why can't you just tell them yourself?"

"Well, I don't really know when, or if, I'll be seeing them again," Lena admitted. Lena had grudgingly accepted help from the trio the other day because she realized that much as she may want to, she couldn't do this alone. At least not yet.

She would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy spending time with Kara once again. It was like a balm to her battered sense of self. But however good it made Lena feel, she had every intention of maintaining the distance she had established over the last few months. She wouldn't keep Kara from seeing Ali, it wouldn't be fair to either one, but she didn't intend to include herself in their relationship. Ali deserved all the warmth, goodness, and love Kara had to offer. Lena didn't.

The frown on Kara's face deepened, and she crossed her arms across her chest. "You don't have to do this alone you know," Kara insisted. "It's not a crime, or an imposition, to ask your friends for help."

"I know that, Kara. And I will be the first to ask for help if I need it," Lena lied easily. She gave a soft laugh. "However, I would hardly call your sister or Detective Sawyer friends."

"The could be if you would let them," Kara stated, not swayed by Lena's sarcasm.

"I've never been the best at making, or keeping, friends."

"What about us? If you managed it with me, you can figure it out again," Kara asserted confidently.

Lena didn't have the heart, or the energy, to contradict her. Lena was convinced that the only reason she had been able to maintain a relationship with Kara as long as she had, was because of the blonde woman herself. No other person in her past had ever stuck by her like Kara, and Lena was sure it was just Kara's innate optimism and faith in others that had her still staying around. Anyone else would have given up on her by now. Everyone else already had.

"I'm sure you're right," Lena responded, somewhat unconvincingly. "But right now, I need to figure out what to do next…" Lena looked down pointedly at the now sleeping baby, the bottle now empty, but still in her mouth.

"Oh!" Kara exclaimed quietly. "Of course." Kara walked closer, and removed the bottle, having to a give a somewhat less than gently tug to dislodge it. "She's a pretty sound sleeper," Kara confided. Puting a steadying hand on Lena's shoulder, Kara urged her to stand. It was slightly awkward, not using her arms to assist, but Lena managed the move without too much jostling.

"If you just lay her on her back, she should be all set. Feeding her really seems to put her out, and once she's there, it's pretty smooth sailing."

Lena laid Ali gently on her back and slid her hands out from under the infant. She stood beside the crib for a few moments, making sure the baby was going to remain asleep, but when Ali showed no signs of waking, slowly backed out of the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

Lena turned to Kara with a relieved smile. "Well, that was surprisingly easy. Maybe this won't be so hard after all."

* * *

It was not easy.

Lena paced the length of her living room, a screaming Ali bouncing gently in her arms. No matter what she tried, she couldn't get the baby to stop crying. She had tried feeding her, but she wasn't hungry. Changing her, but she wasn't wet.

When Ali had gone down so easily this afternoon, Lena had been lulled into a false sense of security. Kara had offered to stay a bit longer, but Lena had insisted that she would be fine. She had monopolized enough of Kara's, and by extension Supergirl's, time. Lena knew how much the city needed the Girl of Steel right now. Surely Lena would be able to manage one small infant.

Once Ali had woken from her nap, Lena realized she required a diaper change. While not her favorite activity ever, it had been accomplished with minimal complications. After that, Ali had seemed to be mostly content as long as she was being held, or in motion. Lena had discovered, when she had to put the baby somewhere so she could use the bathroom, that Ali seemed to have a great affinity for the mamaRoo Lena had purchased. Her confidence had increased.

While it had been exhausting, Lena had managed. Maybe she could do this after all.

Now, after an hour of non-stop crying, Lena wasn't so sure. She had almost cracked and called Kara for help. Only pure, bull-headed stubbornness had stopped her. Either she was going to be able to do this, or she wasn't. If she wasn't capable of handling it, then she may need to accept defeat.

"Please stop crying," Lena pleaded, coming perilously close to begging. Luthors never begged, but in this case, Lena was willing to make an exception. "I don't know what you want. I've tried feeding you, changing you, rocking you. What else is left?" Lena knew she wasn't going to get a response, wasn't even sure if the baby could hear her over the sound of her own crying.

She had consulted the books, but they had proven to be no help. Ali was too young to be cutting teeth, and the chances of her being ill were slim. By all accounts, she had inherited the same near impenetrable immune system as her Kryptonian cousins. Lena made a soft, shushing sound in Ali's ear, but that too, had no effect.

One book had recommended that she should simply let the baby cry herself to sleep. Lena had cracked after five minutes of listening to her distressed wails. She didn't care what the stupid book said, there was no way she was going to just sit there and ignore a baby that was obviously in distress. Unfortunately, her presence didn't seem to offer any relief.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Lena halted her pacing, her back turned to her balcony. She knew exactly what, or more precisely whom, she would see when she turned around. Lena closed her eyes and let out a sigh. As if it wasn't bad enough that she was failing miserably at this whole caretaker thing, now Kara was here to bear witness to her deficiency. Maybe she had decided that this was all a mistake, and was here to rescue Ali from her clutches.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Drawing a breath to collect herself, Lena turned to face the wall of glass. Kara, in all her Supergirl glory, stood on the other side, patiently waiting to be let in, hands clasped behind her back, and looking sheepish. Lena motioned with her head that Kara was free to enter. She didn't have the energy to cross the room and open the doors, and it was unnecessary; they didn't have a lock.

Kara stepped inside, sliding the door closed behind her. It never got truly cold in National City, but there was still a distinct chill in the air.

"Is someone giving you a hard time?" Kara inquired, inching slowly towards the pair.

"I've tried everything. She's not hungry, she's not wet. I suspect she's tired, but I can't get her to go to sleep." Lena shook her head.

"Do you want me to give it a try?" Kara offered, hands still held behind her back. Lena suspected she was forcing herself not to simply grab the baby and fly away from Lena as quickly as possible. Why on earth had she ever thought she could handle this?

Lena hesitated only a moment, before offering the still crying baby to Kara. While it was a relief to have a little distance from the loud crying, it felt like a failure. Lena was only slightly heartened by the fact that the baby still continued to cry, even in Kara's embrace.

Once she had the baby in her arms, Kara seemed to tune out the outside world. She hummed quietly to Ali and spoke to her softly, but Lena couldn't understand what she was saying. Bouncing the still upset baby in her arms, Kara continued to whisper to her softly, as she made her way towards the nursery. Lena contemplated following but discarded the idea. She wasn't going to be any use there.

Instead, she entered the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of red wine from her extensive selection. Such was her preoccupation, she didn't even stop to examine the vintage. Her mother would be horrified. Wine was meant to be savored, appreciated, not guzzled without a thought.

Lena poured herself a healthy glass and downed half of it in one swallow.

Refilling the glass, Lena drummed her fingers restlessly on the counter, as she gazed out at the National City skyline. It was probably for the best that Kara had come. Obviously, Lena wasn't cut out for this, and the child would be better off with someone else. With anyone else. Lena was sure that once Kara got Ali settled, she would come to tell her just that.

By the time Kara found her, the bottle was almost empty.

"Rough night?" Kara asked quietly, pulling out one of the stools around Lena's kitchen island, and taking a seat.

"I've had better." Lena took another healthy swallow of wine. "Though, I've also had worse. At least she wasn't trying to kill me," Lena replied contemplatively. Lena took another drink. "Which is more than I can say for most other members of my family." Lena drew a deep breath. It was probably better just to get this over with. "Look, Kara, this was obviously a mi-"

"Why didn't you call me?" Kara interrupted her.

Lena blinked, her mind ever so slightly fuzzy from the wine. "Call you?"

"For help," Kara clarified. "I seem to remember having a conversation, in this very apartment, with you about this very subject earlier today."

"If I can't handle a crying baby, then this whole thing was probably a mistake," Lena replied sharply. Lena shook her head. "I don't know what I was thinking. This whole thing was obviously a-"

"Stop it," Kara commanded firmly. Lena snapped her mouth shut and glared at Kara reproachfully. She didn't appreciate being interrupted. Not even by Kara. "You've had her for all of 8 hours. Did you really expect that you would have this whole baby thing perfected by now?"

Lena looked at Kara sullenly. "Of course not," she said archly. Not perfect, that would be insanity, but surely at least capable of the basics. She was a Luthor. Luthors didn't fail; it wasn't allowed.

Kara sighed, shaking her head. "It's okay to ask for help, Lena. I promise, no one is going to think less of you if you need a hand on your first day, or your tenth, or your hundredth. You don't have to suffer through Ali crying for over an hour. Help is just a phone call away."

"I'll try to remem- how did you know it was an hour?" Lena eyed Kara suspiciously. She may be a little fuzzy, but she knew that hadn't told Kara that detail when she arrived.

Kara flushed and shifted nervously on her seat. "Don't be mad," Kara pleaded, hands held up. "Alex always gets mad, but I wasn't doing it to spy on you. Sometimes I honestly can't help it, and my senses just tune in. I mean, if I could fully control it, do you really think I would want to see and hear some of the things I have seen and heard? No, no I would not."

"Kara," Lena said wearily, rubbing her temples, where a headache was starting to develop. "It's late. I'm tired. Please stop rambling and get to the point."

"Right," Kara said with a nod. "So, I may have been unconsciously, or a little consciously, listening in on Ali." Seeing Lena's slight frown, Kara hastened to add, "I wasn't spying on you! I promise. I was just worried about how you and Ali were doing, and not because I didn't trust you. I was just worried. And then I heard Ali crying. And Lena, you were doing a great job, you were, but it wasn't working. And I kept waiting for you to give me a call, even just to ask for tips, but you didn't," Kara said with a frown. "I couldn't just keep ignoring it. Even if all I could do was keep you company."

"Clearly I needed more than that," Lena admitted softly, in the now peaceful apartment. "Whatever you did for her worked." Lena shook her head. "Maybe I'm not cut out for this…"

Kara reached across the space separating them and grabbed Lena's hand. "If you honestly don't want her here, I'm not going to try to convince you to keep her. But Lena, please don't let one bad first day, and not even a whole day, just the end bit, convince you that this was a mistake."

Kara looked at her earnestly, faith and confidence fairly radiating from her eyes, and Lena bit her lip. That look would be the death of her one of these days.

"How do you know the rest of the day wasn't a disaster too?" Lena probed. She had her suspicions, and they were all but confirmed when Kara averted her gaze.

"Oh, um. I mean I just assumed.." Kara met Lena's pointed gaze and gave up, shoulders slumping. Kara really was a terrible liar. "I'm sorry," Kara replied. "I promise I won't keep spying on you." Kara bit her lip. "I was just worried, and I probably went a little overboard with the checking in. A lot overboard." Kara smiled at her brightly. "You really were doing so good though! You know, up until that last bit."

Lena knew she should be mad, it was a horrible invasion of privacy, but at the moment, she just couldn't muster up any outrage. Almost everything Kara did was for some altruistic purpose. If she hadn't been listening in, and come to the rescue, Lena may have joined Ali in her crying by now.

"Thank you," Lena responded tiredly. She rubbed her temples again, trying to ease the tension, and failing. Kara looked at her in concern, biting gently on her bottom lip, and looking like she desperately wanted to say something. "Whatever you want to say, just say it."

"So, I've been thinking, and it's totally okay if you want to say no. I don't want you to feel like you have to say yes, or that I'm doing this because I don't have faith in you. Because I totally do, and that's not the reason. At all."

"Kara…."

"Right, sorry. I've been trying to work on the rambling, but when I get nervous it sometimes gets away from me. And right now I'm really kin-"

"Kara…"

"Sorry. Again." Kara drew a deep breath. "I was thinking that, if you wanted, I could maybe give you a hand with Ali. You know, until you settle in a bit, and get the hang of it all."

Lena frowned at Kara in confusion. "Why would that make you nervous to ask me? You've been offering to help since the beginning."

"And I meant it," Kara insisted. "But giving you a hand when you ask for it is a bit different than moving in for a while. I mean, I don't know if you would even want to-"

"You want to move in? With me?" Lena asked blankly. She looked at the bottle of wine for confirmation that she had, in fact, only drank the one. Surely being drunk was the only explanation for the current conversation. She must be drunk and hallucinating.

Kara nodded. "To help with, Ali," Kara clarified, as though Lena would maybe think there was another reason Kara would want to move in with her. In her dreams maybe. A frown creased Kara's face. "Did I not say that? I mean to say that. But yes, if you want, I could move in here, just for a little while, and give you a hand."

Kara looked so earnest, and eager to please, that Lena felt like an ogre for what she was about to do. There was no way she could allow Kara to move in with her, even temporarily. She was supposed to be reestablishing the distance she had put between them. Not moving Kara into her guest room and playing house.

Lena shook her head. "Kara, I really don't think that's a good idea…"

"Why not?" Kara insisted, arms crossed. Yes Lena, why ever not? Lena barely resisted the urge to laugh hysterically.

"You're already so busy, the last thing you need to worry about is changing diapers in your spare time. This isn't your responsibility. Your time is better spent elsewhere."

Now Kara looked mad. Lena pulled back slightly, having only seen that look on Kara's face a few times. The most recent being about a week ago in her office when she declared she wanted nothing to do with Ali.

"When are you going to understand that this isn't about responsibility or obligations. It's about family. Nothing is more worthy of my time than my family." Kara shook her head sadly. "If you don't want me here, just say so, but don't make it seem because there is something more important I should be doing."

Well, now Lena felt like shit. No matter how hard she tried, she seemed to keep upsetting the blonde. Maybe it was the alcohol or the memory of spending over an hour listening to Ali cry, and not being able to do anything to help, or maybe it was just the desire to see Kara smile at her once more. Or perhaps whatever insanity lurked in Lex's mind hadn't skipped her after all.

Whatever it was, Lena found herself reaching across and grasping Kara's hand. When the blonde slowly raised her eyes to meet Lena's, Lena smiled at her. "You're right. I'm sorry if I implied otherwise." Kara's expression relaxed a bit, but her face still held a fair amount of tension. "If you really want to, and you're sure it won't be a problem, I would be happy to have your help."

A full, wide smile immediately covered Kara's face. "Great!" she said, jumping up eagerly. "I brought a bag. Just in case. I'll go grab it."

Lena dropped her head onto the counter in defeat. "Of course you did."


	8. A Little Help From Your Friends

"Explain this to me again," Alex requested, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I've already explained it to you three times," Kara complained, throwing a half-filled suitcase on the bed. She ran through her mental checklist of everything she would need for her stay at Lena's. While she could just pop home if needed, she wanted to be as prepared as possible.

She was pretty sure she had every-Oh! Dropping to her knees she reached under her bed and located the storage locker that held her spare suit.

"So, explain it to me four times," Alex demanded.

Tossing the suit onto the open suitcase, Kara sighed. She really wasn't sure why Alex was giving her such a hard time about this. "Lena needs a hand with Ali until she gets the hang of things. I offered my assistance. She accepted."

"By moving in with her."

Kara nodded. "I can hardly help her with Ali from my apartment," Kara explained patiently.

Alex squinted her eyes, looking at her sister skeptically. "It just seems….weird."

"What is weird about helping out a friend when they need it?" Kara demanded, putting her hands on her hips.

"It's not weird to help out your friend. It's weird to move in with them, for an indefinite amount of time, with no real plan. How is this even going to work with your," Alex motioned her hand toward the suitcase, "Supergirl duties?"

"It's going to work like it does now," Kara stated confidently. "Lena knows the truth about me, so why would that change anything?" If Kara still felt a little uneasy about the fact she and Lena had never really talked about the fact she was Supergirl, well, this may be the perfect opportunity. Kara tipped her head consideringly. "If anything it may be more convenient. She has a really nice balcony, and her apartment is much more centrally located." Kara rubbed the top of her head. "Last week I was in such a hurry I clipped the window on the way out."

"You're basically impervious to harm," Alex reminded her, clearly unimpressed. "What about game night?"

"We haven't had game night in months," Kara retorted.

Alex crossed her arms across her chest. "Well, we talked about starting it up again. How is that going to work if you're at Lena's?"

Kara frowned at her sister. "We could always just invite her, I'm sure she would be happy to host. Now that she knows the truth, we can include her in everything," Kara realized, getting excited. Keeping her secret from Lena had been necessary, but never easy. Kara had unconsciously kept her relationship with Lena separate from the rest of her life. All that could change now.

"What if she doesn't like to play games," Alex asked stubbornly.

Kara rolled her eyes. "Then we can host it at your place, or here. It's not like I'm giving up my apartment." Kara looked at her still grumpy sister. Something else was bothering Alex. "What's really going on?" Kara asked gently.

"Nothing's going on," Alex insisted.

Kara rounded the foot of bed and stood in front of her sister. "I'm not the only one who gets a crinkle," Kara said, poking the crease between her sister's eyes gently. "That's your worried big sister look. What are you worried about?"

Alex huffed out an annoyed breath and dropped her arms to her sides. "The same thing I'm always worried about. You."

"I'm fine, Alex. There's nothing to worry about," Kara insisted. "Do you still not trust Lena? We've been working with her for months. I thought you realized by now that she wasn't like the rest of her family. She's not going to hurt me."

"I'm not worried about Lena. I'm worried about Ali," Alex admitted.

Kara shook her head. "Alex, I don't understa-"

"You obviously got very attached to her in a short amount of time," Alex interrupted. "It was clear you didn't want to let her go. Now you're moving in with Lena to help her, what, raise Ali?" Alex shook her head. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

Kara sighed. "I'm not going to get hurt, Alex. I'm not!" Kara insisted, seeing Alex's skeptical look. "I know this is a short-term arrangement."

Kara turned and paced to the other side of her bedroom. "Lena just got so overwhelmed last night. One bad night, and she was doubting that she could do this. That she was the right person to help Ali." Kara turned back to look at Alex. "I know she can do this, Alex," Kara insisted fiercely. "That little girl belongs with Lena, and I don't want her to do something that she will later regret. If me moving in with her for a while, and assisting her until she gets comfortable is what it takes, then I'm happy to do it."

Kara looked at her sister sadly. "I'm not going to get confused about my place in her life, Alex. I know that that type of life isn't in the cards for me, and I've made my peace with it," Kara said. Kara had firmly closed the door on the dream of a normal family life when Mon-el was forced to leave.

"Hey, c'mon, you've still got tons of time left if that's what you want," Alex said softly, reaching out to lay a comforting hand on Kara's forearm.

Kara shook her head, and mustered up a tight smile. "It's fine. My life is crazy enough as it is. Can you imagine if I tried to juggle a family on top of that?" Kara forced a laugh. "The world needs Supergirl."

Kara checked the time. "We need to get moving, I told Lena I would be there at one." Alex looked like she had more that she wanted to say, but Kara didn't want to hash this out right now. Or ever. Talking about it wasn't going to change anything.

Knowing that she was going to have multiple suitcases to bring, she had asked Alex to give her a ride. She figured it would be slightly less conspicuous than Supergirl flying across the National City skyline loaded down like a pack mule.

"Here, make yourself useful." Kara picked up one of the smaller suitcases and tossed it to her sister. Alex caught it against her chest with a grunt.

"I've seen you lift a space station into orbit. I hardly think you need my help with a few pieces of luggage," Alex grumbled good naturedly, reaching over to pick up another, slightly larger suitcase by the handle.

* * *

"Getting settled in?" Lena asked, poking her head into the guest room. Kara had arrived an hour earlier, Alex, and a mountain of luggage, in tow. As a Luthor, Lena knew how to pack for every eventuality, but seeing how much Kara had brought with her made her question how long the superhero intended to stay.

Not getting a response, Lena frowned, and walked further into the room. Empty. Well, empty of Kara, her belongings were spilling out of half-emptied suitcases, and a few items were dropped on the floor between the bed and the entrance to the closet. Lena's inner neat freak quailed at the sight.

Lena heard a thump, followed by a muffled 'gosh darn it', come from the closet.

"Kara? Are you alright in there?" Lena asked, moving toward the closet.

"Fine!" Kara responded immediately. "I just...had a bit of a mishap."

"A mishap," Lena repeated, entering the closet and taking in the scene. Kara turned toward her, a clothes rod in one hand, and an apologetic look on her face.

"I may have misjudged a bit," Kara admitted, trying in vain to hide the rod behind her back. "I was just about to put it back," Kara reassured her.

Lena waived her hand. "I don't care about the closet rod, Kara." Lena looked around at the half filled closet, and the pile of clothes that was resting in a heap on the floor. "Would you like a hand?"

"Oh no, I'm fine. This won't take me long," Kara stated confidently. Kara turned, rod in hand, and started to wrestle it back into place.

Lena frowned. "Are you sure? It's been over an hour, and it looks like you've barely gotten started."

"I had to pop out for a bit. Bank robbery," Kara explained, glancing over her shoulder. Kara huffed in annoyance when the rod failed to stay in place. Lena could see the problem; a slight bend in the metal was preventing the ends from staying firmly seated in the end caps on the wall.

Kara must have noticed the problem as well, because she shot a quick blast of her heat vision at the bend, and straightened the curve with her hands. Rod once again at the proper length, Kara was finally able to fit it back into place. She gave an experimental tug, and when the rod remained in place, turned with a satisfied smile on her face. "Good as new."

"Of course," Lena said slowly. Having a superhero as a roommate was going to take some getting used to. Lena looked at Kara curiously. "I didn't see you leave." With Ali down for her afternoon nap, Lena had settled herself in the living room in case Kara had needed anything.

"I used my balcony. Which is really nice by the way. I seriously need to think about looking for a new place. I'm going to get spoiled living here," Kara teased.

Lena smiled weakly. She didn't think Kara was the only one that was in danger of getting spoiled during the blonde's stay. Not for the first time Lena worried that she had made a terrible miscalculation in agreeing to have Kara move in with her.

Even before the attack on National City, and the self imposed isolation Lena had enacted following, she had been careful to moderate the time she spent with Kara. Lena was aware of her feelings for Kara, and one way she kept them firmly in check was to limit the amount of time she allowed herself with Kara. Lena knew it would have been all too easy to fall into the trap of spending any spare moment with the other woman.

Once Kara had started dating Mon-El, the need to deflect the occasional invitation, just to prove to herself that she could, had diminished. Lena had been both relieved, and disconcerted. As much as she had told herself that her relationship with Kara could only ever be platonic, the twist of jealousy in her stomach whenever Kara would mention Mon-El told her she had failed to fully convince herself.

In some ways Lena's guilt over the attack on the city had provided her the perfect excuse to seek some much needed distance. Provided her with the time and space she needed to regain her perspective on her and Kara's relationship.

Now, she had not only obliterated that distance, she had moved the object of her futile affections into her home. The cynical side of her thought maybe this was just another aspect of the penance she owed for her part in the attack. What could be a more fitting punishment then to dangle that which she would never have right within touching distance, yet still forever out of reach?

"If you're certain you don't want a hand, I'll leave you to finish up. I actually have some L-Corp business that I've been neglecting that I really should attend to," Lena said, feeling the need to retreat by herself.

"All good," Kara assured her. "Consider me on baby duty," Kara offered, gently shooing Lena out of the closet. "I'm here to help remember. If Ali needs anything I'm on it. Go. Take care of your company."

"Thank you, Kara," Lena said sincerely. "If you need to...dash out...for any reason, just let me know."

Kara smiled. "Consider it done. Now go, I don't want to see you again until every email is answered. I've got this."

Lena laughed at her friend's naivete. "Oh, Kara, in that case, you would never see me again."

* * *

When Lena hit send on the last email in her inbox, she had categorically ignored any not marked urgent, and looked up, she was surprised to see that the sky outside her office window was dark. Or at least as dark as it ever got in the city. Checking the time in the lower right hand side of her screen she was surprised to see it was after 7 o'clock. When she had left Kara to finish unpacking, it had been a little past 2 o'clock.

Lena stood, and rounded her desk, walking quickly towards the door. While she appreciated the uninterrupted time to deal with L-Corp business, she had never intended to have Kara cover for her for this long. Even though Kara had offered to help out, Lena didn't want to take advantage of her generosity. The responsibility of caring for Ali still ultimately lay with Lena.

"Okay, no, you have to use your arms. Like this. That way is okay for flying, but that's not going to help you in this case."

Lena frowned. She knew Kara was here, because she could hear her talking, yet the room was seemingly empty. Edging toward the back of the couch, Lena saw why. Kara had pushed the coffee table out of the way, and had laid a blanket on the floor in front of the couch. Kara was sprawled out on her stomach on one side of the blanket, and Ali was in a similar position on the other.

Based on the position of her arms, Lena concluded that Kara must have been attempting to teach Ali how to push herself up on her arms. Given that the baby had her arms pointing straight out in front of her, and was grunting in frustration, the lessons didn't seem to be going well.

Lena cleared her throat delicately, resting her hands on the back of the couch. Kara paused in her instruction and darted her gaze to the new arrival. If she was embarrassed about being caught flat on her stomach, in the middle of a serious training session with an infant, you wouldn't know it.

"All caught up with work?" Kara asked brightly.

"As caught up as I'm ever going to be." Lena waved her hand the duo on the floor. "It looks like I'm not the only one that's been hard at work."

Ali gave an angry cry and bowed her back, kicking her legs in frustration. Kara sat up quickly and scooped the baby off the floor. Kara sat cross legged on the floor and wrapped her hands around the baby's waist, settling her comfortably into the well her legs formed.

"I was glancing through one of your baby books and came across something called Tummy Time," Kara confessed. "It said it was important for developing muscle strength and control. I don't think strength will be an issue, but she still needs to learn coordination." Kara looked at Lena, her expression slightly worried. "I hope you don't mind."

Lena shook her head. "Of course not," Lena reassured her friend. "It looks like she was enjoying her work about as much as I was enjoying mine."

"She wasn't the biggest fan," Kara admitted.

"Who could have guessed that lying face down on the floor unable to move wouldn't be a favorite way to pass the time," Lena teased.

"She'll get the hang of it," Kara stated confidently. "Before you know it she will be conquering sitting up, then crawling, then the world." Kara tickled Ali lightly along her sides, making the baby giggle. "I think she likes that idea."

"Considering her parentage, it wouldn't surprise me," Lena said drily.

"Oh, I didn't mean it that way," Kara hastened to explain, looking at Lena with a worried frown.

"I know you didn't," Lena reassured the blonde. "I shouldn't have said that." Lena shook her head. She knew she had a habit of making sarcastic remarks about her family, and their proclivity for nefarious deeds. Looking at Ali sitting on Kara's lap, and looking as innocent as a newborn lamb, she realized that it may be something she needed to address. The last thing she wanted to do was instill a sense of shame in the girl about who her family was. Lena was all too familiar with that feeling.

Kara rose to her feet, holding Ali securely to her chest. "You need to be a little kinder to yourself. You're not your family," Kara admonished her gently. Kara sat on the couch, motioning for Lena to join her.

Lena hesitated, but finally took a seat beside Kara. Seeing a new person within her range, Ali reached out toward Lena. Lena scooted a little closer and extended her hand towards the baby's grasping fingers. Ali immediately grabbed hold, and Lena tried not to wince at the force.

"I never told you about my family, did I?" Kara asked quietly, looking down at Ali, instead of at Lena.

"The Danvers?"

Kara shook her head. "My birth parents. Zor-el and Alura of the  _honorable_ House of El," Kara explained, her disdain easy to detect. It was a feeling Lena knew well.

"You haven't, no."

Kara drew a deep breath, and Lena got the sense that she was steadying herself for the task ahead. "I told you once, that I knew what it was like to be disillusioned by your parents. Do you remember?"

Lena nodded. She didn't think she was ever likely to forget that particular conversation. She had still been jittery and filled with adrenaline. High on her near miss, and Supergirl's heroic rescue. She had been more than a little giddy when the superhero had landed on her balcony. That euphoria had quickly been dashed when Supergirl had accused her mother of attempted mass genocide.

"You tend to remember the moment someone tells you your mother is attempting to extinguish all alien life on the planet."

"That you do," Kara said softly, her tone haunted. Kara raised her head and held Lena's gaze. "I know exactly how it feels." The way she said, Lena didn't think Kara was speaking in the abstract.

Lena's brow furrowed in confusion. "I don't understand," she admitted with a shake of her head.

"My father was a scientist on Krypton. He and my uncle were tasked with designing a virus to help protect Krypton in case of alien attack. That virus was Medusa. It was designed to kill all non-Kryptonian life. Your mother learned of it, and decided it would suit her purposes perfectly with a little tweaking." Kara sighed. "So I know what it's like to find out your parents aren't who you thought they were. That they are not the noble, honorable people you remember."

Lena looked at Kara silently, still digesting the information Kara had shared. "I'm sorry," she finally offered. She would have laid a comforting hand on Kara's shoulder, but Ali still held it firmly in her grip. "That couldn't have been easy to learn. Even knowing how my mother is, it wasn't easy to accept."

"It was hard," Kara admitted. "I grew up believing my parents were these amazing people. So sure that they only had the best of intentions. Almost everything I have learned about them since arriving on Earth has challenged that belief. My father, ready and willing to end untold lives because of Krypton's xenophobic views. My mother, sentencing her own sister, her twin, to a lifetime in prison for daring to tell the truth about the future of our planet. Using me as bait to do it. All the while making plans to ship me to safety while the rest of Krypton burned."

"I'm sure they were just doing what they thought was best," Lena tried to reassure her friend.

Kara looked at her pointedly. "Just like your brother, and mother." Kara laughed, the sound holding little humor. "If they could have gotten past the fact that they came from different worlds, I think our two families would have a lot in common." Kara shook her head, as if to clear it. "My point, is that you don't have to be defined by your family. I don't share my family's belief that aliens are the enemy. How could I? The Danvers' have shown me nothing but kindness, love, and acceptance."

"You make it sound so easy," Lena said wistfully.

"It wasn't easy," Kara conceded. "And I know it's not quite the same. My parents aren't here, their actions known only to me, and a few others. It isn't just my family's beliefs that I had to reject," Kara admitted softly. "Some of them were my own."

Lena laughed in disbelief. "Kara, you are without a doubt the sweetest, most sincere person I have ever met. You put us mere mortals to shame."

Kara shook her head emphatically. "I'm really not, Lena. I may have super strength, and be nearly invulnerable to external harm, but I am just as fallible as anyone else. You weren't here when I had my brush with red Kryptonite. You didn't see what I was like."

"I read about it," Lena admitted. All of the papers had covered Supergirls brief fall from grace. Metropolis especially had been all over the coverage, wondering if their city would be next. Was Lex Luthor right after all? Was Superman a threat to the world, instead of the saviour he presented himself to be?

"It was awful," Kara confessed softly. "It stripped me of all pretense and civility, and laid bare my basest feelings. It was…" Kara shook her head. "I don't really even have the words to describe what it was like knowing those thoughts were inside of me. But I refuse to be that person. To let those emotions dictate my actions."

Kara leaned forward and kissed Ali gently on the top of her head.

"We've all done things we aren't proud of," Lena said. "For whatever it's worth, you're still my hero," Lena insisted sincerely. Lena swung the hand Ali still held firmly back and forth.

"It's worth a lot," Kara told her. "In fact, you're kinda my hero too."

Lena looked at Kara in confusion. "I am? Why?"

Kara scooped Ali off her lap, and handed her to Lena. Lena accepted the baby automatically, and looked at Kara for an answer.

"Because Ali needs a diaper change," Kara said with a smile. Before Lena could manage a reply, Kara was up off the couch, and beating a hasty retreat out of the living room.

"Kara!" Lena cried out in good natured exasperation. Lena shook her head and met Ali's gaze with a shake of her head. "She takes on blood thirsty, killer aliens intent on global destruction on an almost daily basis, but she is sent running by one dirty diaper."

Ali smiled at her, babbled happily, and then stuck her fist in her mouth.

"Well just keep this particular weakness between us," Lena confided in the infant as she stood up from the couch, and made her way towards the nursery. "It just wouldn't do to let the world know just how easy it would really be to send Supergirl scurrying for cover."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long gap between chapters. I haven't actually been napping and playing video games like normal. The "good" news is that I wrote Chapters 8, 9, & 10\. The "bad" news, is that my beta confirmed for me that unless I have changed my mind, and decided to make these two only friends, than I need to tweak some scenes. As it stands, my slow burn is currently more of a no burn.
> 
> So, I'm posting Chapter 8 (it really doesn't have any scenes that would benefit from tweaking), and I am going to try to work on fixing Chapters 9 and 10. Either way, the next update should still be much quicker than this one was.


	9. What Is This Feeling?

"Are you sure you're going to be okay alone?" Kara asked Lena in concern. Kara had taken a few days off, wanting to help Lena get comfortable with Ali, but Snapper's patience had reached an end, and he was demanding her presence at Catco.

"Kara, I'll be fine," Lena assured her, taking a sip of her coffee. "I know I was freaked out at first, but I really have calmed down quite a bit since then." Lena smiled at her warmly. "You have been incredibly helpful, but I know you have obligations. Go to work, I'll be  _fine_. In fact, I'm almost a little bit jealous." Kara didn't doubt it. She was pretty sure Lena hadn't taken more than two days away from the office since taking over at L-Corp.

Kara nodded. Lena really had made leaps and bounds with Ali. She had been a little tentative with the baby at first, but in only a few days, she was handling her like a pro. Kara was both proud of Lena, and a feeling a little bit useless. If Lena was fine taking care of Ali, she wasn't going to need Kara to stick around for much longer. Which wasn't something that Kara wanted to bring up, because she really liked spending time with Lena and her daughter.

Not that Kara called her that. She had made that mistake already, and the way Lena had shut down upon hearing it told Kara it was a topic better left untouched. Lena may be comfortable caring for the baby, but she wasn't yet ready to claim her as her own.

"Are you sure you don't want to hand her over?" Lena asked.

Kara shook her head. "No, no, I'm good," Kara insisted. She had Ali against her shoulder, holding the baby in place with one arm, as she shoveled pancakes into her mouth with the other. One of the things Kara liked best about living with Lena was the other woman's desire to cook for her. Lena insisted it was her way of saying thank you for Kara's help with Ali. Kara didn't really think that thanks were necessary, but she wasn't going to say no to food.

"I want to get my fill before I have to go to work," Kara continued with a pout. It was going to be her first extended absence from the baby since Ali arrived, and Kara was finding it surprisingly difficult.

"If you're sure," Lena said dubiously, watching as Kara moved her head sharply to one side, trying to evade the baby's grasping hands. Ali had developed an almost pathological need to pull Kara's glasses off and try to shove them in her mouth. Luckily they were made from a substance made to withstand the rigors of ownership by a sometimes careless Kryptonian.

With her attention divided between making sure she didn't drop her precious cargo, either precious cargo, Kara's evasion attempt was unsuccessful, and Ali managed to grab onto the glasses with a happy laugh. Kara let out a long suffering sigh, placed her fork on her plate, and retrieved the glasses.

She put them back on, only to remove them almost as quickly. Their brief time in Ali's grasp had left them smudged and covered in baby drool.

Lena laughed and took the glasses. "Finish your breakfast," Lena ordered with a nod at Kara's half empty plate. Well, technically, it was a serving platter that Lena had dug out from the back of one of her kitchen cabinets.

Kara happily resumed eating, Ali now trying to grab the fork out of Kara's mouth since her favorite toy had been removed. Lena turned on the faucet and ran the glasses under the stream.

"You know, you don't have to wear these at home. Until Ali grows out of her grabby stage, it would probably be easier."

Kara paused her eating, absentmindedly moving the fork out of the baby's range. She was sure Lena hadn't meant anything by it, it was probably just a slip of the tongue, but she still felt her heart swoop in her chest. "Oh. I didn't really think about it." Kara finally said, shaking off the slightly dazed feeling. Kara shrugged. "It's just habit to wear them." Kara shifted in her seat, not sure if she should even bring this next part up. "I, um, I also wasn't sure if it would be easier."

Glasses clean, Lena turned, a frown on her face. "Easier?"

"To try not to blur the lines between Supergirl and Kara. We haven't ever really talked about...you know," Kara said vaguely. The fact that she was Supergirl, often felt like the elephant in the room to Kara. Lena had taken the news with surprisingly little reaction, and the two of them had never really talked about what it meant.

Kara had waited for Lena to inundate her with questions. She had even prepared responses to all of the questions that she thought Lena would ask. The answers had been lacking in Kara's opinion, but nonetheless she had them ready. After all how could she ever truly justify lying to someone she considered one of her closest friends? Kara didn't know, but she had wanted to be as prepared as possible when Lena finally confronted her.

Only the confrontation had never come. Lena had absorbed the news with a quiet look of surprise, what Kara was pretty sure was a brief flash of hurt, and then she had squared her jaw, set her shoulders, and asked whether Kara was planning to attend the Mayor's fundraiser the following week.

On the surface Lena had appeared to take the news in stride. She didn't get angry. Didn't kick Kara out of her office. At least not directly. Kara still couldn't help but wonder if the distance that had developed between them wasn't tied to her telling Lena who she really was. Kara had found it almost impossible to get Lena to spend any time with her alone since the revelation.

The reveal had come right on the heels of the invasion. Kara hadn't wanted to risk Lillian telling Lena before she could. She was also simply tired of lying to a person she cared deeply about. Life was too short, and too precarious, to keep lying to the people you loved.

Oh, Lena always had a ready excuse. Work was crazy. The board was anxious and was demanding more and more of Lena's time and attention to keep them placated. The work of helping to rebuild National City was consuming almost all of her free time. Kara always assured Lena that she understood, after all, she was almost as busy herself. But deep down, Kara couldn't help but wonder if maybe Lena just needed time away from her.

On the rare occasions they were able to see each other, it was almost always in public. Hardly the time or the place to have the kind of conversation that was required to clear the air between them. Since Ali arrived they had barely had the time to catch their breath, let alone sit down and have a real conversation. At first she had thought this would provide the perfect opportunity to finally have that conversation, but now she was wondering if Lena even wanted that.

"Kara, I think that particular ship has sailed," Lena said with a laugh. "Or are you forgetting that you literally arrived by landing on my balcony after using your super hearing and deciding I needed to be rescued?"

"That was Supergirl me," Kara insisted.

"On the day you moved in you bent a steel rod back into place with your bare hands, and welded it into place," Lena said wryly.

Kara flushed, embarrassed. She didn't even remember doing that. She was usually so careful to try to keep her powers in check when she wasn't in her uniform or at home. Her relief at having Lena finally knew the truth must have made her careless.

"I'm sorry," she apologized instinctively. "I just- you never really say much about me, being, well, her. I wasn't sure if it made you uncomfortable."

Lena tipped her head to the side, looking at Kara searchingly. "It doesn't," Lena assured her with quiet certainty. "Have I done something to make you think it did?"

Kara shrugged, not having the time, or the desire, to get into all of this now. She wished she had never brought it up. "People just usually have questions. A lot of questions. You don't. Have any. At all. It's not the reaction I'm used to after telling someone." Okay, so she had technically only told two people, but Kara still thought the lack of interest on Lena's part was odd.

"Given my family history, I didn't want you to take it the wrong way," Lena answered ruefully. When Kara continued to look at her doubtfully, Lena sighed. "I'm a scientist Kara, I have almost nothing but questions. I didn't want to make  _you_  feel uncomfortable. Which was really my whole point in mentioning the glasses in the first place. I want you to feel comfortable while you're living here. You don't have to keep wearing them on my account."

"Thanks," Kara said with a small smile. "And you won't. Make me uncomfortable," Kara clarified. After keeping the secret for so long, she wanted to be able to talk to Lena about anything and everything. "Ask me anything. I'm an open data crystal," Kara teased. She smiled knowingly when she saw the spark of interest flair in Lena's eyes. They way to Lena Luthor's heart was definitely through her R&D department.

"You may come to regret that offer," Lena said seriously. "I wasn't joking about scientists and questions."

"I know," Kara responded. "I was born science guild. If I hadn't left Krypton, I would have trained to be a scientist. Like my father before me." Kara suppressed a smile when she saw the spark of interest in Lena's eyes ignite into a small flame. It was almost too easy. " I often think that innate curiosity is why being a reporter comes so naturally." The mention of her job reminded Kara she actually had somewhere to be today. Checking the clock, she let out a startled yelp, and sprung out of her seat.

"Oh, shoot. I really need to go. If I'm late, Snapper will never let me hear the end of it." Kara pushed Ali into Lena's hands, and looked around for a few seconds before spotting her bag. Grabbing it she was almost out the door before she stopped, and rushed back over. Bending down she planted a loud, wet kiss on Ali's cheek, making the baby giggle.

"I love you. I'll miss you. Be good for Lena, and don't break anything I wouldn't break."

* * *

Lena leaned against the arm of the couch, legs stretched out in front of her, a stack of reports resting on her lap. A massive warehouse fire had called Kara away shortly after Ali had gone down for her nap, so Lena was taking full advantage. Free of interruptions, she had managed to get through a good portion of the material. Even still, she was still hopelessly behind.

A muffled thump drew her attention, and she turned her head to see Kara landing on the balcony. It was still a little surreal to Lena that Supergirl was her roommate. Lena frowned when she saw Kara's uniform was scorched, and covered in soot. A large tear in the fabric of her suit exposed a sliver of skin across her midsection. Lena did her best not to stare.

Lena hurriedly stood up, dropping the reports in a disordered heap on the table with barely a second thought. Kara was impervious to harm, or near enough when facing most earthly threats, but Lena still couldn't prevent the tendril of worry.

"Another rough one?" Lena asked, walking over to greet Kara.

Since their conversation a few days prior, Kara had been much more at ease being herself. Both sides of herself. Lena hadn't even been aware of the tension Kara was holding onto in her presence until it was no longer there.

Lena had chastised herself for letting her own hang ups affect Kara. She had never meant for Kara to think that she was uncomfortable, or upset, about her friend being Supergirl, and she realized that she had failed.

Kara shrugged, seemingly indifferent to her state. "Not too bad. They weren't sure if everyone had made it out, so I was doing another sweep of the interior when the roof caved in." Kara poked a finger through the hole in her suit. "I just got this suit. Winn is going to be so annoyed."

"I'm sure he'll just be glad you're okay," Lena tried to reassure Kara.

"I don't know. Last time, when I snagged it flying too close to a building, he was pretty upset." Kara shook herself slightly, a small cascade of debris falling to the floor at her feet. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. "I'll clean that up. I hate fires," Kara grumbled. "It takes forever to get the smoke smell out of my cape."

"Don't worry about the mess," Lena said dismissively. "In fact you have a little…" Lena reached for Kara, and hesitated briefly, before brushing her hand through the hair around Kara's shoulders. "...building stuck in your hair," Lena finished, dislodging a large chunk of plaster from the still golden curls. Even as covered in dirt and random bits of construction material, Lena couldn't help but note how soft it felt to the touch.

"Ugh," Kara moaned. "I'm going to have to take like...ten showers to get all of this out." Kara turned her back to Lena, and glanced at her over her shoulder. "Is there anymore in there? Can you get it?"

Lena paused, before nodding, to herself since Kara's back was turned, and ran her fingers carefully through Kara's hair. It wasn't that Lena never touched Kara, but she did her best to limit casual, physical contact. Biting her bottom lip, she did her best to concentrate on the task at hand, and not get distracted by the feel of the silky strands running through her fingers.

She was doing a pretty good job, until Kara let out a soft sigh. "That feels really nice," Kara murmured appreciatively.

Lena dropped her hands abruptly. "All done," Lena announced, proud of the fact that she managed to keep her voice even.

"Thanks," Kara said, turning to smile at Lena. "In hindsight, I really should have had Supergirl be the one that wears the ponytail, and let Kara run around with her hair down."

"I'm not sure your Girl of Steel pose would carry quite the same gravitas with a ponytail," Lena teased.

Kara huffed. "Maybe not, but it sure would make my life a lot easier. Plus, it really limits my hair options," Kara pouted.

"Oh, the sacrifices you make when you dedicate your life to saving the world," Lena said with mock solemnity.

"I know, right!" Kara cried, shaking her head. "The things they didn't tell you in the super hero handbook."

"Well, if it's any consolation, you look wonderful with your hair up," Lena said sincerely. A faint blush spread across Kara's cheeks, and she dropped her gaze.

"It is," Kara responded shyly.

It never ceased to amaze Lena that a woman who had the world quite literally at her feet, could be undone by a simple compliment. From the beginning, Kara had gotten flustered whenever Lena had offered her praise. At the time, Lena had hoped that Kara would realize she was trying to flirt with her, and respond in kind, but it had quickly become clear to Lena that Kara didn't have a clue. Lena hadn't let that stop her from offering future flattery.

Just because Kara wasn't interested in a relationship, didn't mean that Lena was going to stop telling Kara how amazing she thought she was. Because she truly was amazing. Even before she knew that Kara possessed superpowers, she had been a marvel to Lena. Never before had she met someone so unfailingly kind and genuine. Lena's life was full of vipers, and she had managed to have a unicorn land in her lap.

Knowing that Kara possessed the power to do literally anything she wanted, and yet still chose to devote her life to serving and protecting others, only increased Lena's admiration for her friend. Most people, given the type of gifts Kara possessed, would not be able to remain as humble. She was a marvel, and Lena thought she deserved to know it.

Even if it still made her blush.

The baby monitor that Lena had placed on the coffee table crackled to life, and Ali's cry filled the room.

"I guess nap time is over," Lena said, stating the obvious.

"I'll get her!" Kara offered eagerly, already striding past Lena on her way to the nursery.

"I don't think so," Lena said, snagging the tail end of Kara's cape, and getting dragged along for a few steps until Kara realized she had an anchor in tow, and stopping.

Kara turned to look at Lena over her shoulder. "Why not?"

Lena released Kara's cape, and held out her hands for Kara's inspection. "Because you are filthy, smell like a charcoal briquette, and are covered in only god knows how many chemicals. There is no way I am letting you get within ten feet of that baby until you shower and change."

If Lena sounded exactly like a mom, she chose not to notice.

"But, I just wanted to-"

"Not within ten feet."

"Maybe if I just peek my head in?"

Lena shook her head, pointing her arm towards Kara's room. "Shower."

"Fine," Kara huffed on a sigh.

* * *

Lena was pretty sure if anyone could see her now, they would fall over and die from shock. She was the one actually living it, and it was still a close call. Her typically spotless kitchen had been converted into a veritable baby spa. The bathing tub, because Lena had read in one of her books that tub baths weren't recommended until the baby was closer to six months, sat across the sink. The temperature gauge registered a comfortable 103 degrees plus or minus 1 degree. She would have to remember to ask Kara if Daxamites had the same fire resistant qualities, but until then, Lena wasn't taking any chances.

After monitoring the flow for another five minutes to ensure a stable variance, Lena acknowledged she was probably just stalling. This was Lena's first solo bath time, and she was more than a little nervous. She had grown much more comfortable, and confident, around Ali over the last several days, but Kara had always been around to act as a safety net if needed. Kara had planned to be back in time for dinner, and Ali's pre-bedtime routine, but Supergirl's assistance had been required, and Lena had no idea when to expect Kara back.

A fretful cry from Ali drew Lena's attention, and she quickly crossed to the living room to retrieve her from her baby swing. "You really don't like being left alone do you?" Lena chided the baby gently as she lifted her out. A happy babble, and what Lena was pretty sure could pass for a smile was her only response.

"Okay, enough dilly dallying, time to get you washed and changed for bed." Lena shook her head. If she wasn't careful, Kara's more...quaint expressions were going to work themselves into her vocabulary. Her reputation would never recover. Almost enabling the takeover of the planet by hostile aliens was one thing, but using dilly dallying in a boardroom was another.

Lena laid Ali onto the couch to more easily remove her clothing. Easily, of course, being a relative term. Wrestling a squirming, unusually strong infant was definitely easier with two people. Bonus if one of the two also had super strength. But Lena was nothing if not determined, and with no small amount of effort, and one close call that probably would have ended with a black eye, she had the baby stripped and ready for her bath.

Lena confirmed that the temperature was still holding steady at 103 degrees, before slowly lowering Ali into the water. Luckily, Ali loved bath time, and as soon as she made contact she gave a happy sigh, and relaxed back into the warm water. Lena soaped up a washcloth and started running it gently over the baby, not wanting the parts of her skin exposed to air to become chilled.

Ali conveyed her approval by kicking her feet happily. Lena was too slow to react, and ended up thoroughly drenched as a result of her poor reflexes. If Lena hadn't been on the receiving end of the mini tidal wave, she may have been able to appreciate the impressive amount of water displaced. As it was, she spluttered, and tried in vain to blink the water out of her eyes.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say you were laughing at me," Lena accused the baby. Ali smiled, and splashed her hands down into the water. Lena wasn't sure if she was agreeing, or expressing her displeasure that her bath had been interrupted.

Keeping a wary eye on Ali, Lena picked up the washcloth and resumed Ali's bath. With the exception of her displeasure at having her hair washed, the rest of the bath went off without further incident. Ali was not happy to be plucked from the water, but settled down when Lena quickly wrapped her in a fluffy baby towel, complete with hood.

Lena grabbed the bottle she had put on the warmer, and headed to Ali's room to complete the rest of her bedtime ritual. Lena laid Ali on her changing table, rubbing the towel lightly to make sure Ali was dry. Once she was satisfied, she pulled back the edges of the towel and dispensed lotion from a warmer onto her palm. Rubbing her hands together to evenly distribute the lotion, she started to massage it evenly onto Ali's skin.

"Even though you inherited your father's impervious skin, I figure better safe than sorry," Lena confided softly to the drowsy baby. The baby's skin was as fair as Lena's own. "Plus, I think you rather like the attention," Lena teased, watching as Ali's eyes started to droop closed. "I can't say I blame you. If I had someone offering to feed, bathe, and massage me on a daily basis, I don't think I would be telling them no." Though Lena's imaginings of such an offer were far from maternal.

Lotion phase complete, Lena took advantage of Ali's lassitude to quickly get a diaper and onesie in place. Lena gave a silent praise of thanks to whoever had invented snap on clothing. If wrestling a baby out of clothing was hard, putting one back in was twice as much so.

Scooping up Ali and the bottle, Lena settled herself into the rocking chair. Ali had roused slightly at the move, but quickly settled when she latched onto the nipple. When Ali let out a contented gurgle, Lena couldn't help but once again draw the comparison to Kara at mealtime.

Rocking the chair back and forth, Lena ghosted a finger lightly over the baby's cheek. For skin that was tougher than steel, it was also impossibly soft. Looking down at the baby, Lena couldn't help but think that for all her physical resilience, she still seemed impossibly vulnerable. Lena knew all too well that the most lasting damage often wasn't physical.

Not for the first time, Lena felt her mind drifting back to the conversation she had with Kara the day she moved in. She was so accustomed to making backhanded barbs about her family, that she hardly even noticed it anymore. The sarcastic barbs had become her way of deflecting; of showing that no matter how much other people reviled her family, she hated them more.

Looking down at Ali, all sleepy innocence, Lena realized that she was going to have to find another coping strategy if Ali was going to stay with her. She remembered all too well how Lillian's pointed jabs about her parentage had affected her growing up. Lena had spent so much time trying to earn Lillian's approval, but had always fallen short. The woman had never missed an opportunity to remind her that she could hardly be helped for her shortcomings, after all, she wasn't  _really_  a Luthor.

Of course, Lena now knew it had nothing to do with not being a Luthor at all. Lillian's rejection of her had been  _because_  she was a Luthor. She had wasted years trying to live up to a family name that had always been hers by birthright. A name she would now rather have nothing to do with. All to try to earn the love of a woman who had probably hated her on sight. The irony was not lost on her.

Ali would learn soon enough that the Luthor name came with its own set of burdens and privileges. However, Lena was determined that one of those burdens would not be the same sense of self-loathing that so often plagued her thoughts. Ali had done nothing to deserve that weight being placed on her shoulders, however unintentionally.

Lena had agreed to take the child because she was afraid that others would not be able to treat her fairly if they found out her true heritage. Lena realized that other people were only part of the equation.

* * *

Kara landed gently on the balcony, not wanting to risk disturbing Lena or the baby. She hated it when being Supergirl got in the way of bedtime. She cherished being able to tuck Ali in and sing her a lullabye or two each night. Being able to sing Ali the songs that her mother had sung to her, and tell Ali the bedtime stories she had grown up with, provided her a much needed link to her past, and her people. In some small way, she was able to keep the memory of Krypton alive.

There was only one lamp on in the living room, casting the room in dim shadows. Even still, Kara was able to make out Lena's slumbering form on the couch, a tablet lying face down on her chest. Kara felt a twinge of guilt, knowing that Lena must be exhausted after having to handle Ali by herself all night in addition to getting all of her L-Corp work finished.

However, Kara was pleased to see that Lena had at least changed into comfortable lounge clothes. During the first week of her stay Kara had started to wonder if Lena ever relaxed, since every time Kara saw her, she was dressed as though she were still going into the office every day. It was only after a few teasing comments, that Lena had blushed, and admitted that felt weird dressing informally in front of other people. Another Luthor family habit that was hard to break.

Kara had immediately nixed that, and insisted that they were friends, practically family now, and that Lena had no need to stand on formality. It had taken a little time, but Lena had eventually dropped some of her formal attire. On the day day she had finally worn jeans, Kara had declared partial victory. It looked like it had taken almost total exhaustion to break the final barrier. Lena Luthor in sweat pants; Kara didn't think she would ever live to see the day. Even in sweat pants, Lena was one of the prettiest people Kara had ever seen.

Taking in the sight of a totally relaxed Lena Luthor caused a warm glow to spark in Kara's chest. It was a familiar feeling when in Lena's presence. The first few times she had felt it the sensation had confused Kara. It wasn't a feeling she was overly familiar with, and she'd had a hard time identifying its origin. Eventually, she had decided it was just a deep feeling of friendship.

Growing up she had kept herself partly isolated from her people. At first she had just been that odd new girl, and it would have been social suicide for anyone that tried to befriend her. By the time she had learned how to present herself in a more human fashion, she was also old enough to realize it wasn't truly safe to let anyone outside of her family get too close. So she hadn't. Plus, if she had ever forgotten the danger, Alex was always there to remind her.

She had friends of course, but none she would call close. She regarded them with a distant sort of affection. People it was nice to spend time with, but that she didn't find herself missing when they were absent. It wasn't until she had embraced her powers, and been able to finally be herself, and let her guard down with a select few like Winn and James, that Kara truly started to understand what friendship truly was. Though the deepening of those friendships had come with their own set of complications.

Out of all of the difference between her world and Earth, Kara though the hardest to adapt to had been the concept of interpersonal relationships, and distinguishing between the different types. Work associates, acquaintances, friends, good friends, friends that were practically family, romantic partners. On Krypton it had been so easy. The matrix determined your ideal match. There was no need to date, no confusion over whether someone was a friend, or could maybe be more. No awkward moment where you had to explain that you just didn't feel "that way" about them. Having to determining what "that way" even was in the first place.

Kara had been so sure that what she felt for James had been the ephemeral "it" that people had always referred to when they said you would just know it when you felt it. She adored James, and would feel a similar happy glow when she saw him, had been jealous of the time he spent with Lucy. Finally, all of the pieces were in place. Or so she had thought.

It had only taken a few aborted date attempts, and a vague sense that something wasn't quite right, for her to realize that her feelings for James hadn't been romantic after all.

Then there had been Lena who inspired such similar feelings. Coming so soon after the failed attempt with James, it had been only natural for Kara to classify the relationship the same way. If she had maybe started to wonder, those feelings had been lost in the onslaught of Mon-El's attentions.

Surely this time, with this man who, if not one of her people, was the next best thing, would be different. While Daxam and Krypton had been very different at the end, they had once shared a common past. So she had tried to make it work. Tried even when at times she wanted to quit. Finally her perseverance had paid off. If Mon-El wasn't the perfect match she had been promised as a young girl on Krypton, he was surely as close as she was likely to get on this foreign planet.

Then Rhea arrived, and any hope Kara had of finally making a romantic relationship work had been dashed. The answer to establishing a lasting match, still elusive. Kara felt like she was back at square one. Just as lost and confused about the nuances of human interactions as the day she arrived.

So Kara acknowledged the warm glow, tucked it away, and tried not to read too much into it. Even if the possibility of more with Lena teased the edges of her mind from time to time, she didn't want to risk making the relationship awkward like she had with James. She had just gotten Lena back, and she didn't want to do anything that risked losing her again.

Moving toward the sleeping figure, Kara tried to work out how she could get Lena to her bed without waking her. The actual lifting would pose no problem, but Kara had come to learn that Lena was a surprisingly light sleeper. Kara wasn't sure if she had always been this way, or if it was Ali's arrival that had precipitated the change.

The decision was taken out of her hands when Lena stirred, and blinked groggily awake.

"Rough night?" Kara asked softly, only just resisting the urge to sweep Lena's sleep mussed hair into place.

"Not too bad," Lena answered through a yawn. Lena swung her legs off the couch and sat upright, running her fingers through her hair and trying to restore some sense of order. "She actually went down without too much trouble. I guess I must have fallen asleep while reading the quarterly prospectus."

"I can't imagine why. That sounds like a riveting read," Kara teased gently, sitting beside the sleep rumpled CEO.

"It is actually," Lena insisted with a haughty sniff. She was only able to hold the air of superiority for a moment before the facade cracked, and she smiled at Kara. "What about you?" Lena asked, gesturing to Kara's smudged and dirty uniform.

"Pretty routine," Kara answered with a shrug. "A small gang of Mygorgs thought one of the alien refugee camps would make a good target for their special brand of intimidation and extortion. Then there was an attempted bank robbery. Oh, and a 12 car pile up on the freeway involving a tanker carrying Chlorine triflouride."

"Oh is that all?" Lena joked.

"It all gets to be a bit routine after a while," Kara confessed. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. A routine, boring, night means that things are relatively peaceful. And National City could certainly use a little peace and quiet."

Lena nodded her head in agreement. "I wasn't sure what time you would be back, so I put your dinner in the fridge. If you want I can heat it up for you while you get showered and changed."

Kara was tempted to accept the offer. Even though she was getting to spend more time with Lena lately than she had in months it wasn't quite the same. Selfishly, she would enjoy a few moments, just the two of them, like it used to be. However, her more noble side won out.

"Thanks, but you don't have to do that. Go on to bed. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure? I don't mind." Lena looked genuinely torn, but Kara shook her head.

"I'm positive. Go. Rest. You need your sleep."

"If you insist," Lena conceded, rising from the couch. Kara rose with her, and the pair walked down the hallway to their respective rooms. Lena hesitated briefly once they arrived at Kara's room, looking like she wanted to say something more. Whatever it was, she changed her mind with a small shake of her head. "Goodnight, Kara. I'll see you in the morning."

Kara watched Lena go with a pang of regret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to my beta for reminding me that humans (and humanesque aliens) have emotions, and it may be helpful to show that from time to time. I am not a comics purist (or even a reader), so I have taken some liberties with Kryptonian marriage customs.
> 
> Also, since chapter 10 is almost totally done, that should go up soonish, but after that, it will probably be back to longer gaps between chapters.


	10. Mess Is Mine

Not since her first day at L-Corp had Lena felt this level of nervousness as she approached the doors of the imposing skyscraper. Then, it had been a fear that she was too young, and too inexperienced, to fill her brother's shoes and lead the company to a bright and prosperous future. Now, it was a lack of knowing how to explain the small, squirming bundle in her arms.

After a week working from home, Lena realized that she was going to have to go into the office. It was possible to keep up with most issues remotely, but some meetings required her presence. Unfortunately, Kara's own work schedule had prevented her from taking care of Ali, so Lena had been forced to improvise. Luckily, she was the boss.

After another few moments of internal debate, Lena decided the best course of action was to just pretend like everything was normal. So head high, she strode into the lobby, carrying Ali in her arms, and a diaper bag slung over her shoulder, as though she did this everyday.

No one stopped her to ask any questions.

Exiting the elevator and striding toward her office with a confidence she didn't fully feel, Lena came face to face with Jess for the first time since she had told her she needed to take a few personal days. If Jess was shocked to see her holding an infant, she didn't show it. The only reaction she gave was a brief widening of the eyes, before she returned her face to it's usually impassive mask.

"Ms. Luthor," Jess greeted formally, not missing a beat. "I have the reports you asked for waiting on your desk, and I pushed back your first meeting until ten as you requested. Would you like me to get you your normal coffee?" Jess paused, and glanced briefly at the baby. "Or anything for your guest?" It was the only indication Jess gave that she saw the small human in her boss's arms. Not for the first time, Lena thought that Jess must be a formidable poker player.

"No, Jess," Lena replied briskly. "I asked R&D to send up two prototypes based on some design specifications I sent over yesterday. Do you know if those have been delivered yet?" Lena felt the diaper bag start to slip, and shifted Ali to one arm so she could hike the strap back up. She was regretting not taking the stroller as Kara had suggested this morning. Lena had been confident that she would be fine, and at the time she hadn't really wanted the extra attention she was sure the stroller would bring.

Jess quickly consulted her tablet, making a few quick taps before looking back up at Lena. "They sent an email saying it would be slightly delayed. They estimate it will be delivered by 9:30."

Lena pursed her lips, not happy about the news. "Thank you, Jess, that will be all," Lena said, dismissing her assistant. "I would prefer not to be disturbed before my meeting, but let me know as soon as R&D arrives."

Not waiting for a response, because she knew that Jess would do as she had instructed, Lena entered her office and closed the door behind her with a quiet click. She let out a deep breath and turned her head to meet Ali's gaze.

"I suppose it's never to early to give you your first lesson in corporate leadership." Ali smiled in response. "You like that idea?" Lena asked, tickling the baby lightly along her sides and eliciting a laugh. Dropping the diaper bag by edge of the desk, Lena settled in her seat, Ali nestled securely on her lap.

Lena wrapped one arm around the baby to make sure she wouldn't slip, and used the other to drag her laptop closer. Not the most efficient way to get work done, but she had learned the hard way that putting Ali down for any length of time usually ended in tears.

She was hoping that one of the designs she had send to the R&D lab would help with soothing the baby when she had to be left on her own. Lena glanced at the time. They had less than ten minutes to meet their 9:30 deadline. She was preparing to ring Jess when the intercom on her desk buzzed.

" _Ms. Luthor, the gentlemen are here with your delivery. Would you like me to send them in?"_

"Send them in. Thank you, Jess," Lena answered. She rose from her desk, and met the new arrivals in the middle of the office.

"You can set that up over there," Lena indicated a spot that was near the sofa. Far enough away from her desk that Ali would hopefully be able to sleep, yet close enough that she could still check on her if needed.

If the two men found it at all odd they had been asked to deliver a crib to the offices of the company CEO, they didn't let on. With a nod, and no small talk, they set the crib down and made toward the exit. Just short of the door one of the men stopped, and turned back.

"Almost forgot this." He handed Lena a small box, and made his exit.

Lena looked down at the small box with a smile. Walking over to the couch, Lena sat down. Securing Ali tight to her side, she opened the box. While the crib had been a necessity, the small item nestled in the box was what she was really excited about.

A pacifier.

Such a simple item, but one Lena quickly realized, she would not be able to use without a significant amount of modification. Lena had tried to use a pacifier the first day, and it had worked, until Ali had managed to essentially destroy the small plastic palliative. While almost impervious to external harm, she wasn't immune to choking.

Lena had run through the mental checklist of materials in development and realized that, much like the crib, she had a material that just might fit the bill. A quick design schematic later, Lena had submitted her request for prototype to the lab.

It looked innocuous enough, but the base was made out of the same advanced polymer as the crib, and the nipple was an almost indestructible pliable rubber compound that had been designed for underwater cable shielding. Lena was hoping that this would hold up to Ali's super strength, and allow her to be able to put the baby down for stretches at a time. Lena also figured it would come in handy when Ali was ready to start teething.

Fingers crossed, she popped the pacifier into Ali's mouth. Almost immediately, the baby started sucking away contentedly. Now Lena just had to give it a few minutes to see if it would hold up. The first time she had tried this, with a normal pacifier, it had lasted less than five minutes.

Five minutes later, with Ali resting peacefully in her crib, Lena was sending a note to the lab with a request for 5 more prototypes. For good measure she added a new schematic for a dozen bottle nipples. Much like the pacifier, they failed to hold up, and Lena had been throwing them away after one use.

Now, to get some real work done.

* * *

Kara loved being a superhero, but sometimes she really hated the things that went along with it. Like the weekly debriefings that J'onn insisted on holding to ensure that everyone was up to speed. Kara was sure it was all very important, but for the most part it just bored her to tears. Usually she would at least feign interest, but this week she was distracted by obsessively checking her phone.

It was the first time since Lena had taken custody of Ali that she was going out alone with the baby, and it had Kara on edge. She had full faith that Lena could handle Ali. Despite her protests, Lena had shown herself to be an attentive and caring guardian.

Kara was more worried about the unknown. It was highly unlikely that word had gotten out already about Lena and her new charge, but Kara knew that clock had started ticking. There was sure to be increased scrutiny, and therefore, increased risk.

Also, if she were being completely honest, she just kinda missed them. Kara was starting to wonder if maybe Alex had been correct to worry about her getting too attached. It had only been a little over a week, and already Kara was finding it hard to picture what her life would be like when she eventually had to move back to her apartment.

In only a short time the trio had already establish a domestic routine. Coming as no surprise, but with a little bit of disgust, Kara learned that Lena was a morning person. Her years of waking before the sun made her the logical choice to take care of Ali's morning routine. Kara was all too happy to agree, and had taken over the baby's bedtime routine in exchange.

Even though she hadn't been going into the office, Lena was still determined to run L-Corp. Answering emails and responding to calls during the day when she was tending Ali was hit and miss, so if Kara was able to give Lena a few hours of uninterrupted time in the early evening, she was happy to do so.

Kara had been a little worried about sharing her living space with someone other than family. Even when she had gone to college, she had a single room. It had been deemed too risky on the off chance that she may inadvertently reveal her powers. Her worry had been in vain, as living with Lena had proven to be remarkably easy. The fact that her apartment was over four times the size of Kara's own may have helped. It was hardly like they were tripping over each other.

Kara discreetly peeked down at her phone. Still no message from Lena. Turning her attention back to the meeting, Kara caught Alex giving her a meaningful look. Busted. Kara shifted uncomfortably, and shoved her phone into her boot so she wouldn't be tempted to look at it again.

Mercifully the meeting ended less than five minutes later. Not so mercifully, Alex made a beeline for Kara.

"Were we keeping you from something more pressing?" Alex asked pointedly.

Kara crossed her arms across her chest, standing her ground and refusing to be intimidated. "Lena had to go into L-Corp today, and she had to take Ali with her. I was just checking that she didn't need me for anything."

The slightly annoyed look on Alex's face relaxed marginally. "These briefings are important, too. It's important to know what we are up against, what new threats are emerging, what our best course of action will be, to make sure everyone comes home safe."

"I know that, Alex," Kara responded, feeling her own irritation rise. "Have I ever not done everything in my power to make sure everyone comes home in one piece? I know how to do my job."

"I wasn't saying that you didn't," Alex responded.

"Really? Because that's sure what it sounded like from here. Sorry if my being concerned about Lena and Ali is an inconvenience for the DEO. It won't happen again." Kara spun on her heel, preparing to stomp off, when she was stopped by Alex's hand on her arm.

"Whoa, wait. I'm sorry," Alex apologized. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just noticed that you were a little distracted, which isn't like you. I know you find these meetings boring, but you usually manage to stay engaged. I was just concerned."

Kara blew out a breath. "No. I'm sorry. I guess I'm a bit more worried about Lena and Ali than I originally thought. This is the first time that they've gone out without me, and I just can't stop thinking about all the things that could happen."

Alex frowned. "You usually look on the bright side. It's not like you to dwell on the worst case scenario." Alex smiled. "That's my job."

"I know," Kara conceded, with a shake of her head. "I just can't seem to stop. Anti-alien sentiment is still running high, Cadmus is who knows where, doing who knows what. Even though she's been doing nothing but good, Lena still has more than her fair share of enemies. If anything, her current support of the alien population is probably more of a hindrance than a help when it comes to public opinion. What if someone tries to attack her and I'm not fast enough to save them? What if-"

"Okay, you need to calm down, and breathe," Alex insisted firmly. "Lena has been taking care of herself for ages, and you know how much she beefed up security at L-Corp after the attack. That place is a veritable fortress. Anyone that tries anything will regret the day they were born.

Cadmus is busy trying to drum up even more support now that public sentiment is swinging their way. They have bigger issues to tackle. And besides, it's not like anyone knows that Ali isn't entirely human, or who she is to Lena. They have no reason to go after her."

Kara took a steadying breath, nodding her head in understanding. "I know, I know. I just can't help but worry." Kara knew her concerns weren't entirely logical, but try as she might, she still couldn't shake them.

Alex eyed Kara silently, before taking a quick peek at her watch. "We actually finished up a little early, and I know you don't have to be at CatCo until later this afternoon. Why don't you take a few minutes and go check on Lena. Ease your concerns. It won't do any of us any good if you go into a fight distracted."

Kara perked up immediately at the thought of going to see Lena and Ali. "Thanks, Alex. I think I may do that," Kara said with a smile, turning to leave.

"Uh, Kara?" Alex called out, halting Kara's departure. "You have a bit of…..puke, on your cape," Alex finally said bluntly.

Kara spun in a circle, trying to see the spot to which Alex was referring. Kara had insisted on holding Ali one last time before leaving for her meeting at the DEO, and had already changed into her Supersuit. "I can't - can you-"

Alex sighed, and halted her sister's futile spinning. Gripping Kara by the arm she dragged her to the nearby kitchenette. Grabbing a paper towel she wiped off the offending material with a grimace. "This was not in my job description," Alex complained, throwing the paper towel into the wastebasket.

* * *

Kara did a fly by of Lena's office to confirm that she was alone before setting down on the balcony. Lena was sitting at her desk, head bent over a stack of reports that was covering her desktop. Kara didn't think she had ever seen Lena's desk in such a state of disarray. Kara hesitated by the door, not sure if she should disturb Lena. It was clear that everyone was safe.

Kara saw Lena still, and then raise her head from her papers. She glanced over her shoulder and met Kara's eyes through the glass. Kara raised her hand and waved sheepishly.

Lena smiled lightly, and shook her head, motioning for Kara to enter.

Now that she been caught, Kara wasted no time entering the office.

"Business or pleasure?" Lena asked playfully.

Kara flushed. "Pleasure," Kara said, keeping her voice low. She was able to see Ali in her crib across the room, asleep. "I just wanted to see how everything was going. Not that I don't think you have everything under control, you've been great. It's just that this is the first time that you've been outside with her alone, and I was driving myself, and Alex, a little crazy with my worrying."

"No need to explain," Lena assured her. She waved her hand towards the crib. "As you can see, everyone is alive and well."

"Is that the prototype?" Kara asked with interest.

"It is," Lena said with a nod. "I was going to ask you to do a little QA later on, just to make sure it's up to abuse it's sure to be in for."

"I'd be happy to," Kara replied eagerly. Kara peeked over at the crib. "So she hasn't been too much of a distraction?" Kara had been worried about how Ali would do in the office. While Lena hadn't said anything to indicate she regretted taking Ali, Kara still worried that if the baby was too much of a disruption to Lena's life, she may change her mind.

"She's been remarkably well behaved. She did have a bit of a tantrum when my VP of Communications was here, but that man does tend to ramble on, so I'm not counting that one against her. I have never seen him exit a room quite so quickly before. I may have to keep her around for that ability alone," Lena joked.

"Did anyone have questions? About who she was?"

"I must have a bit of a reputation, because no one had been brave enough address the tiny elephant in the room. It's actually been quite amusing watching everyone dance around the issue. I don't think I've had this much fun at the office in quite a while," Lena confessed.

"You shouldn't torture your employees," Kara chided gently, but there was no sting in the rebuke.

"Take all my fun away," Lena pouted, lower lip poking out. Kara almost dropped her mouth open in shock. She was sure if she told anyone that she had seen Lena Luthor give an honest to god pout no one would believe her. She was tempted to take a photo for proof, but she was pretty sure Lena would not cooperate.

Swallowing, Kara mustered up a smile. "I'm sure you'll find other things to keep yourself occupied." Kara gestured to the avalanche of paperwork on Lena's desk. "Looks like you have your hands full."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Lena complained. "I have only been out a week. Not even out, as I have been keeping up with my emails from home. How this much paperwork has accumulated I have no earthly idea." Lena sighed. "I'm going to have to figure something out, because this," Lena gestured to the mess on her desk, "is not going to work long term."

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to help out more," Kara apologized. Kara did what she could, but between returning to Catco, and her duties guarding National City, she feared it wasn't enough.

"Kara," Lena said seriously, "you have absolutely nothing to apologize for. I hardly expect you drop everything so that you can babysit for me. For the time being I think I will just keep bringing her to the office. Barring a few bumps, it really has been remarkably smooth sailing. Oh, that reminds me," Lena tossed something at Kara, who caught it reflexively. "Can you see if you are able to bite through that?"

Kara held up the small object, and stared at it blankly. "A pacifier?"

Lena nodded, steepling her fingers together and resting her chin on them. "Mmhmm. I remembered we had a more pliable polymer in development, and I realized it would be easily adapted for this application. We haven't been able to give Ali a pacifier unsupervised since she pulverizes them. I did a quick test, but if you could put it through it's paces it would give me more peace of mind."

Kara looked down at the item dubiously. "This does not leave this office," Kara warned, pointing a threatening finger at Lena.

"Who would I tell?" Lena asked, the very picture of innocence. Kara narrowed her eyes, not buying it for a second.

"I believe you've met my sister. I also believe you know she would pay good money for this type of intel."

Lena tapped a finger along her jawline thoughtfully. "Now that you mention it, third quarter earnings haven't been quite what we were hoping…"

"Not a word," Kara threatened. "I know where you sleep, Luthor."

"Fine," Lena conceded playfully.

Kara eyed the object doubtfully for another moment, before popping it into her mouth. One of these days Kara was going to figure out how she found herself in these situations. Hearing Lena try, mostly unsuccessfully, to stifle her laughter, Kara crossed her arms across her chest and glared at Lena with a scowl. This only served to make the situation worse.

After a half a minute of determined chewing, Kara spit the offending item into her palm. She gave it a cursory inspection, before tossing it into the center of Lena's desk.

"Kara!" Lena cried, recoiling, "that's disgusting."

"Serves you right," Kara retorted.

"Oh, don't be such a...baby," Lena said, again unsuccessfully choking back a laugh.

"I swear to Rao, Lena. If I hear Alex make a single baby joke….I'm coming for you."

The smile Lena sent her was far from reassuring. When Lena used a pen to roll the item other, Kara barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Well, I think we have a winner," Lena said happily. "I'll give R&D the go ahead to make a few more prototypes, maybe throw in some nipples. She's been really rough on her bottles too."

"If those third quarter numbers don't turn around, maybe you've discovered an untapped market. A whole line of baby products specially marketed to Earth's alien population," Kara joked.

"Oh, mother would love that," Lena scoffed. "Although, the idea isn't totally without merit…" Lena tapped her finger against her lips thoughtfully as she stared into space, her mind no doubt turning over the potential business implications.

Kara rolled her eyes. "I was kidding."

"No, I know, but you weren't wrong," Lena murmured, still lost in thought. "Most of Earth is still viewing aliens as penniless refugees, but eventually they are going to gain a foothold, and that is a lot of untapped spending potential."

"Okay, well I guess I'll leave you here to plot total corporate dominance. If I am late for the weekly story pitch Snapper will have my head." Kara looked toward Ali's crib again, but was disappointed to see the baby was still sleeping soundly. She had hoped to get a few minutes of cuddling in before she had to leave, but she couldn't in good conscience wake the baby up.

Lena acknowledge her statement with a vague wave, clearly still lost in thought. Kara shook her head. It really was a good thing that Lena was on their side. The woman had a formidable intellect and laser like focus.

* * *

Not since her first night with Ali had Lena felt so out of her depth. She had been walking the floor with the distraught infant for the last hour and a half, and nothing she had tried to calm her seemed to be working.

In a moment of desperation, she had even tried singing a lullabye. Lena wasn't sure if it was that the song was in English instead of Kryptonese, or her tragically bad singing voice, but her attempt had only resulted in louder cries.

So Lena was walking the floors, hoping that whatever had called Kara away in the middle of the night was resolved quickly. Because while Lena had made great strides, and for the most part was feeling pretty good about her progress, Kara seemed to be the only person capable of calming Ali down when she worked herself into this state.

While Lena was always grateful that Kara was able to calm Ali down, she couldn't help but feel like a failure in comparison. Lena wasn't sure what her secret was, but she was going to have to figure it out before Kara moved back to her own apartment.

As Lena continued to walk, rubbing a soothing hand over Ali's back in an attempt to comfort, while the baby screamed in her ear, Lena couldn't help but think about her own childhood.

She didn't remember her birth mother. She barely remembered coming to live with the Luthors. A few defining moments stood out clearly, and most of those not for happy reasons. One such memory was from sometime very shortly after she had moved into the sprawling Luthor mansion.

Lena had no memory of what had woken her up, but she could still remember the oppressive sense of terror. Unable to calm herself down, the panic only getting more acute, Lena had finally fled her room in search of comfort. Looking back, she had no idea why she had sought Lillian out. From the beginning Lillian had exuded nothing but icy disdain for the newest member of her family. Maybe it was the memory of her own mother, at the time still fresh in her memory. Lena supposed her own mother must have been a source of comfort, and her young mind had probably associated Lillian with that.

Even then she had the presence of mind to knock, and not simply walk into the closed door. Lena had no idea how long she had stood in the hallway, feebly knocking on the door. Part of her wanting comfort, part of her perhaps knowing she wouldn't find it. The door had eventually jerked open, and a glowering Lillian had been in the doorway, scowling down at Lena and bristling with irritation.

It had been Lena's first lesson on what was expected of her as a Luthor. Lillian had grabbed her arm and dragged her back to her room, pushing her inside and closing the door behind her. Luthors didn't show weakness. Luthors didn't seek comfort in the middle of the night. Luthors were strong.

Lena also learned that Luthors could also sometimes be kind. Huddled in the dark, knees drawn up tight to her chest, silent tears rolling down her cheeks, Lex had found her. Her brother had been unfamiliar with physical comfort, but he had patted her awkwardly on the back, trying to impart whatever comfort he could. Lex had told her that if she ever got scared in the middle of the night, to come find him. From that night forward whenever Lena had woken, alone and afraid, she would crawl out of bed and find her brother. Sometimes they would play chess. Others they would watch some of Lex's favorite TV shows. Shows that Lillian would never let him watch if she found out. Sometimes she would just watch quietly as he toiled away on one of his many projects. Content just to have someone nearby.

Somehow Lena doubted Lillian had ever walked the floors with a screaming, inconsolable infant. Not even Lex. Lena knew she was far from perfect, but the one thing she could do was be there. Even if her presence appeared to offer Ali no comfort, she wouldn't be alone.

Lena pressed her lips to the side of the baby's sweat soaked head. "Shhhh, you're gonna be okay, sweetheart. I know you're grumpy right now, and I'm sorry. But Kara is going to be back before you know it, and she'll work her mysterious Kara magic that somehow makes everything better." Lena bounced the baby lightly on her shoulder. "I have it on good authority Luthors are particularly susceptible. Resistance is futile."

The only thing that was futile was Lena's attempts at reassurance, as Ali just continued to cry. Lena had to admire her persistence, she was sure most babies would have worn themselves out by now. Not knowing when to quit was another Luthor family trait.

"Hey, hey hey, what's wrong munchkin?" Lena wasn't sure if it had been a minute, or five, or an hour, and at this point she didn't care. Kara's voice fell on Lena's ears like a balm. Kara silently reached for the baby and relieved Lena of her burden. Lena wasn't sure how Kara could stand it with her super hearing.

"Has she been at it long?" Kara asked, rubbing circles on the still crying baby's back.

Lena shook her head. "I don't even know anymore. What time is it?"

"A little after two," Kara responded. So far her attempt to soothe the baby was just as much a failure.

Lena rubbed a hand wearily across her forehead. "I think she woke me up around 11:30."

Kara grimaced in sympathy. "You go on, I've got this," Kara insisted. "There's no sense both of us being up."

"I know I should be noble, and insist that I'll stay up with her, but I honestly don't know what else to try." Lena looked at the baby in sympathy. "She's got to be exhausted."

"Go," Kara insisted.

Lena hesitated, but past experience told her she would be of no assistance. Nodding her head, she exited Ali's room, but instead of taking a right toward her own bed, she turned left and headed toward the kitchen. Kara tried to hide it, but she was always ravenous after any major use of her powers.

Lena had just finished construction on the third sandwich when she noticed she could no longer hear Ali's faint crying. Dropping the knife onto the counter in disbelief, Lena glanced at the clock. Five fucking minutes. She had walked the floor with Ali for hours, to no effect, and Kara had calmed her down in five minutes.

Sandwiches forgotten, Lena strode determinedly down the hallway. She was bound and determined to finally figure out what Kara's secret was. If she hadn't let her own wounded pride get in the way, she would have already done so.

Lena eased the door open slowly, not wanting to risk waking Ali again if she had already fallen asleep. The sight before her stopped her dead in her tracks. Her arms fell limply to her side.

Doing lazy swoops and figure eights, Kara flew a tight route around the nursery, Ali sleeping contentedly on her chest.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Lena hissed quietly, but with plenty of irritation. She may be pissed, but she wasn't stupid.

"Lena!" Kara gasped, scandalized. "Language."

"She's asleep. To hell with my language," Lena grumbled. "This is your secret method to getting her to go to sleep?" Lena demanded incredulously, fisting her hands on her hips.

"She likes it," Kara insisted defensively. "I won't drop her. I have really good hands." Lena wasn't touching that one with a ten foot pole.

"I have been driving myself crazy trying to figure out what I wasn't doing. Why you were the only that seemed to be able to calm her down, I guess now I know."

Kara shrugged, looking unrepentant. "You could have just asked."

Lena barely bit back an irritated curse. She was sure there was a lesson in this somewhere, but she was too tired and annoyed at the moment to divine what it may be. Probably something about not being stubborn and asking for help. Or something.

Kara floated gently to the floor, careful not to jostle Ali in the process. After laying the baby softly in her crib, she cupped Lena by the elbow and led the still annoyed woman out of the nursery.

"I didn't mean to upset you," Kara said, walking with Lena down the hallway.

Lena sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'm not upset." Seeing Kara's skeptical look, Lena corrected herself. "I'm not upset at you. I'm frustrated. I've been up for hours trying to get her to calm down. If I had known that flying was the key, maybe I could have figured something out."

"I know you can accomplish a lot when you put your mind to something, but I'm pretty sure flying is beyond even your reach," Kara teased.

"Actual flying maybe," Lena conceded. Her mind was already spinning with possible solutions. If she modified an existing baby swing with a gyroscopic mechanism, and incorporated an algorithm that randomized the motion, she may be be able to come close enough to trick a three month old baby.

"Did you make me sandwiches?" Kara asked excitedly, fairly skipping away from Lena and to the kitchen island.

"I did," Lena said with a smirk when Kara picked up the first sandwich before waiting for her answer. "I figured you could use a snack."

"You're the best," Kara mumbled around a bite of food. Normally Lena would have been disgusted by such an action, but she couldn't help but note the happy little hum Kara emitted as she ate her sandwich. The resemblance really was uncanny.

* * *

"I'm beat," Kara said, flopping onto the couch beside Lena with an exhausted sigh. Ali had been extra fussy and had taken an unusually long time to go down. Even flying hadn't done the trick this time. Something she was sure Lena would find satisfying. Which was exactly why Kara wasn't going to tell her.

Working at Catco, keeping up her Supergirl duties, and pitching in where she could with Ali had taken it's toll. Kara was glad the week was finally over. With any luck, the city wouldn't need Supergirl's assistance tonight. Kara was looking forward to a quiet night in with Lena, and some binge watching.

If she was expecting sympathy from her companion, she had sorely misjudged the situation.

"You're beat?" Lena exclaimed incredulously. "Remind me again which one of us has super powers, and can recharge by laying in the sun for a bit, and which of us is a mere mortal?"

"Hey, I basically work two jobs. One of which I don't even get paid for," Kara defended playfully.

Lena rolled her eyes, clearly not impressed. "I run a massive multi-national corporation. That counts for at least two or three jobs. In between caring for a super powered baby."

"Yeah, yeah," Kara acknowledged. "At least you don't get beat up for a living."

"Technically, you do that as a hobby."

"Is that better or worse?" Kara wondered.

Lena laughed, shaking her head. "I honestly have no idea. It either makes you a saint, or someone that needs to have her head examined."

"I think I'll go with saint, though Alex may think it is more the latter," Kara decided with a laugh. Rao, she had really missed this. Just Lena and her, on a couch, laughing and joking. As hard as it had been to lose Mon-El, Kara realized now that losing Lena, at least for all practical purposes, had been just as hard.

"I've really missed this," Kara confessed softly, voicing her thoughts.

Lena paused, before nodding her head. "Me too. Life just got so busy," Lena explained.

Kara had heard the excuse before, but this time she wasn't willing to let it slide. "Is that all it was?"

"What else would it be?" Lena said with a dismissive laugh.

Kara shook her head. "I don't know, but it just seems like it was more than scheduling conflicts, and hectic work days. It felt like you were avoiding me." She and Lena had danced around this topic before, but they had never had a real conversation about it. Kara wasn't willing to just let it slide any longer. If there was a problem between them, Kara didn't want to just sweep it under the rug and hope it went away.

Lena stood up from the couch, rubbing her arms, as though trying to warm herself. She walked a short distance away, before pacing back. "It's complicated," Lena finally admitted.

Kara leaned forward, elbows resting on her knees. "Then uncomplicate it for me. After everything that happened, losing Mon-El, I really could have used a friend. You were always so busy. I felt like I lost you too," Kara said softly.

"I'm sorry," Lena said. "I never meant to hurt you. I just…" Lena shook her head. "It was hard, seeing you, seeing how upset you were. Knowing that it was my fault."

Kara sprung up from the couch, and grabbed Lena's hand. "It was not your fault," Kara insisted fiercely, squeezing Lena's hand, but not too hard, to emphasize her point. "Why would you think that?"

Lena laughed hollowly. "How can you not? Without my pathetic need for validation, Rhea never would have been able to build her transit gates. Earth would have never been attacked. Then, as if that weren't bad enough I engineered the device that made Earth unlivable for him."

"That's not on you, Lena," Kara insisted. "You played a small part, in a sequence of events that started thousands of light years away from here."

"It wasn't that small a part," Lena countered.

Kara tipped her head. "Do you really think Rhea didn't have a back-up plan? Or that she wouldn't have found another way?" Kara shook her head. "You don't traverse almost half the galaxy without a contingency. Rhea was never going to just leave Earth alone. Her planet was destroyed. It had nothing to do with Mon-El, or me, or you. Rhea was looking for a new home for her people, and she would have found a way to take it. All you did was make her task a little easier.

And as for the atmosphere, that was on me," Kara insisted. "You built a device that helped save your planet, and your people, from being enslaved. How can anyone fault you for that?"

"But Mon-El…"

Kara sighed. "I will always regret the way things ended with Mon-El. It was abrupt, and we never really got a chance to say a proper good-bye. A part of me will always wonder what could have been."

Kara paused, not sure if she really wanted to share this next part. It wasn't something she was particularly proud of, and it had been hard to admit, even to herself. Seeing the look of lingering self doubt on Lena's face, made the decision for her.

"I gave him my mom's necklace," Kara said, an apparent non sequitur.

"What?"

"Mon-El. When I put him in that pod, and sent him to safety. I wanted him to have something to remember me, so I have him the last piece of her that I had."

"Kara, I'm sor-"

"He gave it back to me," Kara interrupted Lena's apology, knowing that it wasn't necessary. "When he came back and left Ali, he placed it around her neck. Do you know what I felt when I saw that necklace?"

The question was rhetorical, but Lena shook her head anyway. "Relief. I felt relief. I was so glad to have that piece of her back. I loved Mon-El, Lena, and I think we were getting to a place where we were starting to make it work, but it was never easy with him." Kara shrugged. "I will always wonder if we could have made it work, but he wasn't the great love of my life. I'm not sure I will ever have one of those.

On Krypton, relationships were so much easier. We had a computer that would help ensure we had found our ideal match." Seeing Lena's grimace, Kara laughed. "It isn't as awful as it sounds. It was actually quite nice. Divorce was almost unheard of among my people. No, for all of it's faults, and it had many, Krypton got that right."

Kara sat on the couch, and feeling no resistance, pulled Lena down to sit beside her. "You have to stop blaming yourself for what happened," Kara said earnestly. "I've never blamed you. Not once."

"Do you really mean that?" Lena asked softly.

"One hundred percent," Kara answered immediately. "What ever guilt you're holding on to? You need to let it go, Lena. The invasion, Mon-El, none of that is on you."

Lena let out a shuddering breath, and nodded her head. As much as Kara wished Lena had let go of her guilt that easily, she knew it was unlikely. One thing that Kara knew about her friend, was that she liked to take the weight of the world on her shoulders. Lena was always so quick to place the blame on herself. To assume the worst because of her family name.

"I need a hug. Do you need a hug?" Kara asked.

Receiving another silent nod, Kara quickly wrapped Lena in a tight embrace. Lena sighed, burrowing her face in the crook of Kara's neck. Kara shivered slightly when Lena's warm breath washed over her skin. Feeling Lena's hands clutch at her back, Kara run her hands soothingly up and down Lena's back.

"Thank you," Lena murmured, her voice muffled.

"Any time," Kara promised. "Next time, don't beat yourself up. Come and talk to me."

"Promise," Lena said, pulling back slightly. "Did you still want to watch TV?"

"In a minute," Kara said, pulling Lena close once again. She wasn't yet ready to relinquish the woman held in her arms. Lena must have felt the same, because Kara felt her nod and sink back into the embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, this chapter concludes the bits I have written ahead. As always, I will do my best to get updates posted, time willing.


	11. Never Say Never

"I just don't think it's a good idea," Kara insisted stubbornly. "At least let me come with you."

Lena shook her head. "We've already talked about this, Kara. I need to do this on my own. What kind of message does it send if I only show up with a super powered bodyguard in tow?"

"That you take your safety seriously," Kara retorted, arms crossed over her chest.

"That I don't trust them," Lena corrected. "Besides, you said that Alex wanted to run a few follow up tests, just to make sure Ali isn't suffering any ill effects from prolonged exposure. We agreed that you would take her to the DEO, and I would go to the alien refugee center."

"I know that, but we agreed to that before the article came out." Kara was still furious that the sleazy tabloid had run the piece.  _Lena Luthor's Secret Love Child?_  What the article had lacked in facts and thorough research, it had more than made up for with wild speculation.

Kara's worry about Lena and Ali going out unaccompanied, which had largely abated after a week with no incidents, had resurfaced with a vengeance. Kara had never been the biggest fan of Lena going to the refugee center without her, but had finally conceded. Lena felt it was important that she go alone, or at least, without Supergirl, and show the alien population of National City that she was sincere in her efforts to help them get back on their feet.

In Kara's mind, the publication of the article changed everything. While Ali wouldn't be accompanying Lena on the visit, some of the speculation had hit too close to the truth for Kara's liking. She was less concerned about a random stranger with a grudge, than she was about Lillian Luthor. The woman's present whereabouts remained unknown, and Kara would prefer to be able to keep tabs on her. She had a habit of popping up at the most inconvenient times.

"The article doesn't change anything. I'm a Luthor, I'm used to articles filled with baseless speculation and out right lies. I decided a long time ago I wasn't going to let that dictate how I lived my life, and that hasn't changed."

Kara wanted to keep arguing her point, but she had spent enough time around Lena to recognize that the conversation was effectively over. Kara sighed, knowing when to admit defeat. "Will you at least be taking your security?"

"I'm not stupid, Kara" Lena chided gently. "You know that I take security to all public appearances since the attack. At least they can do their job discreetly."

"I can be discreet!" Kara protested. Just because she had an unfortunate habit of leaving holes in National City's architectural treasures didn't mean she couldn't be low key. And sure, things also tended to catch on fire, or blow up around her, but not all of that was her fault. Only like forty percent. Maybe fifty tops.

Lena just smirked at her.

"Fine," Kara huffed. "I'll take Ali, and you can go save the aliens of National City. I guess we'll be switching jobs for the day."

"You're sure you don't mind taking Ali?" Lena asked, looking slightly worried.

"What? Of course not! Lena, you know how much I love spending time with Ali. Why would you even ask that?"

"Between CatCo, being Supergirl, and generally trying to have a life, I just worry that sometimes it's asking too much."

"I want to help out," Kara insisted. "I wouldn't have offered to move in if I minded."

Instead of looking relieved like Kara would have expected, Lena looked slightly nervous. "Actually, this touches on a subject that I have been wanting to talk to you about."

Kara felt her heart skip, wondering if she had overstayed her welcome. "Oh Rao, you want me to move out don't you? And I've been too oblivious to notice. I'm really sorry, I tried to pick up after myself. I know I can be a little bit messy. Alex always complained about it when we were kids. I was just so used to having a Kelex to pick up after me. It took me a while to adapt."

"Kara!" Lena exclaimed, breaking into her rant. "You don't need to move out." Lena paused, looking unsure. "Unless you want to move out?"

Kara shook her head vehemently. "I don't. Totally want to stay."

"What I wanted to talk to you about, was maybe getting some help."

"Help?"

"With Ali," Lena clarified. "Bringing her to L-Corp has been fine, but it isn't a long term solution. Neither is asking you to drop everything and take care of her if I have something where I can't bring her."

"So you want to what? Hire a nanny?"

Lena nodded her head, still looking a bit unsure. "What do you think?"

Truth be told, Kara wasn't entirely sure how she felt. On the one hand, it meant that Lena was making plans to keep Ali with her full-time. Which was great. It was amazing. It was exactly what Kara had wanted for both Ali and Lena. On the other hand, it meant that Lena was making plans that would render Kara's assistance unnecessary.

Seeing the uncertain look on Lena's face, Kara knew there was only one way to respond. "I think it's a great idea," Kara replied brightly.

"Really? You don't think I'm just abandoning her to the paid help?"

"I think you are realizing you need help, and getting it. Do you plan to stop spending time with Ali?" Kara knew the answer already. Lena may not be willing to say it, but the affection that Lena had for the baby was easy to detect.

Lena frowned. "Of course not," she responded instantly. Lena shook her head. "It's all moot at the moment anyway. It's not like I can simply call up an agency and ask them to send over a list of candidates."

Lena had a point. Ali was far from your typical baby, and finding a qualified candidate would be no easy task. "Well, if there is anything I can do to assist in the process, just let me know." Kara still had slightly mixed feelings about being sidelined, but she wouldn't let that get in the way of what was best for Ali.

"Thanks, Kara," Lena said with a relieved smile. "I don't know what I would have done without you these past few weeks."

"That's what friends are for," Kara replied automatically, but for some reason the words felt slightly wrong as they passed her lips.

"Right." Lena flicked her gaze to the time. Standing, she plucked Ali from her swing. "I'll go get this one dressed, if you wanted to grab a quick shower, and do the same."

Kara made quick work of her morning routine, not wanting to keep Lena waiting. Kara's schedule was pretty flexible, but she knew that Lena had arranged to be at the center by ten. Knowing her presence was bound to cause disruptions, she had wanted to conduct her visit between mealtimes. Lena tried her best to keep her visits out of the press, but they always had a way of leaking.

Entering the living room she saw Lena sitting on the couch, bouncing Ali lightly on her knee, making the baby laugh happily. "All set," Kara said, already moving to take Ali from Lena. Lena looked up from her game, and instead of handing the baby over like Kara was expecting, Lena frowned at her.

"You're wearing that?" Lena asked, keeping a firm grip on Ali.

Kara let her arms drop to her side, and looked down at her outfit in confusion. "Yes. What else would I wear?"

"I was thinking something a little less conspicuous. Don't you think the sight of Supergirl carrying around a baby and a diaper bag is going to garner more than a few questions?"

"Oh, I was going to fly straight to the DEO. No one will even notice." If Kara hoped that her statement would alleviate Lena's concern, she was sadly mistaken. Lena cradled Ali closer to her chest, looking wholly unimpressed.

"There is no way I am letting you fly across the city with Ali."

"She loves to fly!" Kara protested. "I won't drop her. She'll be perfectly safe."

"Be that as it may. I can have the car service send another car to take you and Ali to the DEO."

Kara deflated slightly, having been looking forward to taking Ali on her first trans-city flight. However, Lena was clearly not a fan of the idea, and Kara knew she had to respect her wishes. For now. She was sure that with a little persuading she could talk her into it once Ali was a little older.

"Fine," she grumbled, turning toward her bedroom to change into some civilian clothing. "I still get to fly around in the nursery though right?"

Lena laughed. "Yes, all in apartment flights are cleared and approved for takeoff."

* * *

Lena swung her legs out of the car, and grasped the hand being offered to her, pulling herself upright.

"Thank you, Rob." While Lena had insisted to Kara that she wanted to conduct this visit with some level of discretion, there could be no mistaking the fact that Rob was hired security. Lena may not want to make a spectacle of her visit, but she wasn't stupid.

One of the first things she had done after the attack on National City was to help establish a series of alien refugee centers that were now scattered across the city. While the people had immediately rallied around their fellow man, they had turned their backs on the alien population, viewing them with suspicion and thinly veiled anger.

Lena had felt doubly responsible for their predicament. Both for her part in the invasion, and the fact that the growing wave of mistrust was being fueled by CADMUS. Her mother had never been one to let a lucky break pass her by, and had immediately used the anti-alien sentiment brewing to increase sympathy for her cause.

Lena knew that what she was doing wasn't enough, nothing ever would be, but she had to do something. If others in National City were turning their backs, she would pick up the slack. It had been an uphill battle to convince the first refugees to seek shelter in the centers. Once the Luthor connection was made public, they had been viewed as little better than internment camps. For weeks they had sat empty, until desperation and lack of options had finally forced people with no other options through the doors.

Lena wasn't sure if her visits helped allay the fears of the residents, but she felt it was her duty to try. As time had passed, she hoped that her intentions were doubted less and less.

"Ms. Luthor, it's good to see you again." Dina Barnes, the center's director greeted Lena as she entered the front door.

Lena smiled and "How many times have I told you to call me Lena?"

"Every time you come by for a visit."

"Are you ever going to listen to me?"

Dina shook her head with a smile. "Probably not, no."

"One of these days I will succeed," Lena stated confidently. Lena looked around the lobby, happy to see that everything was clean, and well kept. Not that she had any worries. Of all her center's directors, Dina was by far the best, and Lena was considering putting her in charge of the whole network. As much as she liked being hands on, the addition of Ali to her life was going to require that she cut back in some areas. To get better about delegating to the people she could trust. Especially if she planned on keeping Ali long term.

And she did. Lena wasn't sure exactly when it had happened, but at some point over the last few weeks she had gone from viewing Ali's stay with her as a trial, to something more permanent. Her attachment to the child was undeniable. Lena hesitated to call it love; she wasn't even sure she knew what that meant. All she knew was that the thought that if things didn't work out she could turn Ali over to Kara to find her a better home, had shifted to thoughts about how she needed to change her life to better fit Ali, and her needs.

"You're certainly welcome to try, Ms. Luthor," Dina replied with a faint quirk of her lips. "If you want to follow me, we can get started." Lena nodded, and let Dina lead the way. From the beginning she had wanted it to be clear that these centers were not meant as detainment centers. To that end, she was committed to holding periodic town hall style meetings where people could voice any concerns or suggestions. So far, the meetings had been very one sided, but Lena was hoping that the refugees would eventually open up. Sometimes it felt like she was fighting a losing battle to win their trust.

Walking into the cavernous main room, Lena couldn't help but wish she could do more. The rows of cots, separated by thick curtains, offered little in the way of real privacy. It was with new understanding that she took in the families with small children and infants. The center may be providing shelter and food, but it was no way to live.

The problem was that while the city was slowly starting to rebuild, and more housing was once again available, no one seemed willing to rent to aliens. Before the invasion it had been difficult, although not impossible for them to secure jobs and housing. After the invasion, they had become all but pariahs. Lena had meant for the centers to be short term accommodations, but she was realizing for most it was becoming a permanent home.

"Is there anything we can do to make it a bit more….welcoming?" Lena asked quietly as she trailed after Dina.

Lena saw Dina tense slightly at the question. "I'll look into it," Dina answered a bit stiffly.

Lena gave an internal sigh. It had not been her intent to offend the other woman, but she clearly had. Lena laid her hand on Dina's forearm. "I didn't mean that as a dig. I know how much hard work you are putting in here, and I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciate it, and you." Lena sighed, surveying the utilitarian setting with a critical gaze. "I just wish they didn't have to live like this." Lena observed a small group of children of various races playing together on the floor. "They deserve to grow up in homes, not in a converted warehouse."

"They do," Dina agreed with a nod. "But at least they are safe, warm, and fed."

Lena sighed. "I just feel like I could be doing more."

"You are doing more than anyone else. Without your centers I don't even know where these people would be. You should be proud of what you are doing here."

Lena couldn't explain to Dina why pride would never be a feeling she would feel about her work with the centers. Her conversation with Kara had alleviated a portion of the guilt and responsibility she felt for her part in the invasion, and its aftermath, but she didn't think it would ever fade entirely.

Lena smiled tightly, nodding her head. "I'm just happy to help in whatever way I can."

Reaching the small stage area, Lena ascended the steps and began her now familiar speech. "Thank you all for taking the time to meet with me today. I know that this isn't an easy time for any of you, and I just want to assure you that I am here to offer whatever assistance I can.

If there is anything that you need, that is not being provided, please let me, or any of the staff here at the center know, and I vow that I will do my best to make sure that it's provided.

While I know these centers can never replace a real home, I want to make your stay here as comfortable as possible.

As always, I would like to take this opportunity to open the floor to anyone that would like to make a comment or suggestion?" Lena said the words by rote, not expecting that anyone would take her up on her offer. To her surprise, a hand shot up in the middle of the crowd. "Yes?" Lena asked, pointing to the woman.

"We don't want your charity," the woman fairly growled. Lena wasn't familiar with the woman's species, but she was well muscled, with a heavy, ridged brow, and sharp teeth.

Lena held herself straight, refusing to drop her shoulders, and reveal the sense of defeat she felt at the woman's words. No matter how much she tried to help, it seemed that it would never be appreciated. Before Lena could formulate a diplomatic response, the woman continued.

"We didn't come to this planet to beg for handouts." The woman gestured around her angrily. "This room is full of teachers, doctors, engineers, artists. We have much to offer, but no one seems interested. Even before those p'taks invaded, we were dismissed. Can you fix that?" the woman spit out.

Lena heard a murmur of agreement work its way through the crowd.

"That's beyond the scope of what the center can do," Lena admitted. The woman that had voiced her concern snorted derisively. "However," Lena continued, voice strong to carry over the unhappy murmur that had started in the crowd, "it's something I would love to talk to you about in more detail if you would be willing. These centers were never meant to facilitate resettlement, but that doesn't mean that they can't be refocused.

I can't do this alone. While I want to do what I can to help, I don't always know what is needed. Is that something you, and maybe a few others, a small working committee, would be willing to do?"

The woman in question looked at Lena a moment, before shrugging and letting out what Lena took as an assenting grunt. "Never been much for committees," the woman said with a sneer, "but if it helps get us out these holding pens, I suppose I'll have to learn."

"Glad to hear it. Any other volunteers?" Lena asked, surveying the crowd hopefully. She wanted to press the small advantage she felt she had. Now that one person had agreed to work with her, she was hoping others would fall as well, like dominoes setting off a chain reaction. She smiled when she saw a few other hands in the crowd raise. Maybe this wasn't all a lost cause after all.

* * *

Kara entered the medical lab at the DEO, surprised to see Maggie sitting on one of the cots, swinging her legs back and forth. Alex, as usual, was hunched over her telescope, intently examining whatever was on the slide.

"Finally," Maggie said, hopping off the bed and making a beeline for Kara and Ali. Kara was surprised. While she and Maggie certainly got along, and had gotten past the slight tension that had marked their earlier relationship, Maggie wasn't usually so eager to greet her.

Maggie's eagerness made sense to Kara when, instead of saying hello, she plucked Ali out of her hands.

"It's nice to see you too, Maggie," Kara teased.

"I get to see you all the time, but I haven't seen this little nugget in weeks," Maggie said dismissively, smiling at the Ali and trying to elicit a laugh. Kara watched the interaction with a smile.

Leaving Maggie to entertain Ali, Kara walked over to bug Alex. "What are you working on?" Kara asked, leaning over her sister's shoulder and pulling her glasses down so she could examine the sample. Alex lifted her head and swatted Kara away.

"How many times have I told you to stop doing that? What if the sample was sensitive to x-rays?"

"Is it?"

"That's not the point," Alex insisted stubbornly.

Kara rolled her eyes. "You need to stop working on," Kara waved her hand over the microscope, "whatever this is anyway." Kara looked over to where Maggie was happily playing with Ali. "Isn't she just the most adorable thing you've ever seen."

Alex looked at Kara with a raised brow. "Well I certainly think so, but should I be concerned that you do as well?"

Kara frowned, looking at Alex in confusion. Seeing the smirk on her sister's face, Kara huffed. "I wasn't talking about Maggie," Kara scoffed. "I mean, I guess she's okay, but she doesn't hold a candle to Ali."

"I can hear you two, you know," Maggie informed the pair. "And while I'm relieved you don't secretly have the hots for me, because, let's face it, that would be more than a little awkward, you don't have to crush my ego."

"I'm sure Alex strokes your ego plenty for the both of us," Kara shot back, her voice laced with saccharin.

"Oh, she strokes much more than-"

"Alright! Enough!" Alex interrupted. "I think I liked it better when you two didn't really like each other."

"We've always liked each other," Kara protested. "Right?"

Maggie looked thoughtful for a moment, before shrugging noncommittally. "Eh. I wasn't your biggest fan when we first met."

"Why not?" Kara asked, honestly offended by the idea that Maggie hadn't liked her. "Everyone loves me."

Maggie tipped her head to one side. "Honestly?"

"Yes," Kara demanded, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I thought that you and Alex maybe had a thing."

"We're sisters!" Kara objected, horrified by the thought.

"Not you, you. Supergirl you," Maggie explained. Seeing the still disgusted look on Kara's face, Maggie laughed. "Hey, you asked."

"You know, for a detective, your ability to read people is terrible," Alex interjected.

"I was right about you, wasn't I?" Maggie asked challengingly.

"Luck."

Maggie scoffed. "Lucky my ass."

Kara watched as Alex glanced at the body part in question, a speculative look in place. "Well, I have found it to be quite-"

"So, are we going to run those tests?" It was Kara's turn to interrupt. Once her sister and Maggie got on a roll, it would be difficult to break them out of their feedback loop. She had been the unwilling audience to their flirting more times than she cared to count.

Alex eyed Maggie for another moment, before turning her attention to Kara. "I suppose we should. Maggie, can you go over and sit with her on the bed?" Maggie did as directed, and Kara trailed anxiously behind.

"What are you going to do with her?" Kara asked, her fingers fidgeting nervously.

"That same thing I did last time," Alex explained in exasperation. Alex picked up a syringe, and wiped Ali's arm with an alcohol prep pad. "I'm surprised Lena didn't want to come with you," Alex observed.

"She wanted to," Kara said distractedly, watching the needle intently. "She had an engagement she couldn't get out of."

Alex snorted. "What was more important than making sure her daughter isn't being poisoned by the atmosphere that she helped pollute?"

Kara took her eyes off the needle, and glared at the back of Alex's head. "She didn't 'pollute' the atmosphere. She saved the planet from enslavement from a hostile force. And her  _meeting_  was to help the aliens that have been all but abandoned by the humans on National City. I thought you were past this baseless-"

"All done," Alex said brightly, straightening up and turning around with a full vial of blood in hand. Pulling her gloves off with a snap, she dropped them in the trash and set the vial on a nearby tray. Alex reached out with a free hand and pinched Kara's cheek playfully. "See, that wasn't so bad now was it?"

Kara placed her hands on her hips. "Were you just trying to distract me?"

"Did it work?" Alex asked.

Kara scowled. "Next time don't use Lena as your example. You don't really think those things about her do you? She has been making great strides with Ali, and I know she would have been here if she could. It was just that she needed to go to the center, and Ali needed her checkup, and it just made sense for me to bring her since I had the free time."

Alex grasped Kara by the shoulders and started intently at her. "No. I just know the easiest way to gain your full attention, is to insult Lena. Even in the most slight of ways. You go into full hero protect mode."

"You could learn something from your little sister, Danvers," Maggie scolded. She stood up from the medical cot, and bounced Ali lightly in her arms. The soothing action appeared unnecessary, as the baby seemed totally unphased by her recent medical procedure.

Alex glanced at Maggie sideways. "Says the woman that got mad at me for attempting to 'steal all her fun' when I stopped an alien from stabbing you in the kidney."

"I totally had that guy," Maggie insisted.

"Sure you did, babe," Alex said placatingly, reaching over to pat Maggie on the cheek.

"I did!" Maggie insisted. Maggie directed her gaze to Ali. "I totally had that guy. You believe me right, Ali?" The baby smiled, and babbled happily. "Darn right." Maggie settled the baby against her shoulder and eyed Kara speculatively. "How are things going with you and Lena anyway?"

"What do you mean? Things are going great. Why wouldn't they be?"

Maggie shrugged, trying to look innocent, and not entirely succeeding. "No reason. Just curious how you and the new roomie were getting along. Living with another person if you are used to living alone can be a bit of an adjustment."

"Are you implying I'm difficult to live with?" Alex demanded playfully.

"I would never do that," Maggie replied immediately. "Moving in with you has been nothing but enjoyable. You're the easiest person on the planet to share space with." Kara snorted, causing Alex to glare at her.

"I'm not that bad," Alex insisted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Of course not," Kara replied. "As long as the other person does everything exactly the way you want it done." Kara glanced at Maggie. "When we were kids Alex made me a list of rules for our shared bathroom."

"I think I have the updated copy of that list," Maggie teased.

"Mock me all you want. I still maintain that there is a correct, and incorrect, way to replace a toilet paper roll."

Maggie shook her head sadly. "I hope Lena isn't this anal retentive. She seems like the type that likes to be in control."

"Lena's been great," Kara responded immediately. "It probably helps that her place is big enough that we aren't tripping over each other. I wasn't sure I was going to like having a roommate again, since my last one wasn't...the easiest to deal with," Kara said, glancing sideways at Alex, before giving Maggie a knowing look. "But it's actually been really nice. Ever since the invasion we haven't really been able to spend much time together. Living together has allowed us to make up for lost time."

"When are you planning to move out?" Alex asked bluntly, earning a frown from Kara.

"We haven't really talked about it. She actually mentioned maybe starting to look for a nanny." Kara sighed, reaching over and running her hand over Ali's head.

"How's that going to work?" Maggie asked curiously.

"I don't know. Lena just wanted to float the idea. See what I thought about it. I told her I thought it was a great idea."

Alex looked at her sister, clearly not buying it. "Really, because you seem less than thrilled by the prospect."

Kara shrugged. "It's just that once she hires a nanny, she's not going to need me around as much."

"That's a good thing isn't it? You'll finally be able to get back to your normal life?" Alex persisted.

"I guess so," Kara mumbled. "I'm just going to miss her so much when I move back home. It's been nice having someone to come home to."

Alex and Maggie exchanged a glance which Kara couldn't quite interpret. She hated when they did their silent, no talking conversation thing.

"Don't look so depressed," Maggie said, handing the baby over to Kara. Kara accepted the baby easily, her face breaking out into an immediate smile. "Even once she hires a nanny, Lena is going to want you around. She obviously adores you, and Ali will still need to spend time with all her aunties. Speaking of, are we ever going to get invited over there again? Or did you just want to use us for free labor."

Kara looked at Maggie in surprise. "Is that something you guys would want to do?"

"Of course," Maggie answered, looking to Alex to back her up. Alex nodded her head in agreement. "She's part of the extended family now right? It's time we start acting like it. Until the rugrat is a bit older it will be easier to go to her. Plus, her place is amazing, and I bet her home entertainment system is state of the art."

"I can talk to her about it," Kara offered. "I've missed spending time with you and Alex. It would be fun to have you guys over."

"Great. It's a date," Maggie stated with a playful glint her eye.

* * *

"Did something happen today?" Kara asked, sitting down beside Lena on the couch.

Lena startled, not realizing that Kara had entered the room. The last Lena knew, Kara has been giving Ali her evening bath and putting her down for the night. She had promised that she would heat up dinner for Kara while she was taking care of Ali. "Sorry," she apologized. "I lost track of time. I got a little lost in thought."

Lena started to rise from the couch, only to have Kara grasp her forearm and pull her back down. "The food can wait," Kara said. Lena looked at Kara in surprise. For Kara to pass up food, she must be really concerned.

"Nothing happened," Lena promised, smiling reassuringly. "I was just mulling over something one of the center residents said to me today."

Kara scowled. "What did they say?"

Lena couldn't help but feel a warmth fill her chest at Kara's instinctive protective stance. She really was lucky to have someone like Kara so firmly in her corner. She didn't know what she had done to deserve it, but she promised herself she would never take it for granted.

"Nothing bad," Lena said soothingly. "I ran through my usual script, and at the a woman spoke up and said that they didn't need or want my charity."

Kara's scowled deepened. "She had some nerve-"

"She wasn't making a dig at me," Lena quickly continued. "She was just pointing out that the alien population on earth has a lot to offer, if only someone were interested. There are scientists, doctors, artists, historians, from so many cultures just languishing because no one on this planet can get past their prejudices."

Kara eased her posture, her shoulders relaxing. "And that's what you were thinking about?"

Lena bit her lip, and looked at Kara nervously. "In a way," Lena hedged.

"Why do you look so worried? You know you can talk to me about anything."

Ever since their talk about Mon-El and Lena's role in the Daxamite invasion, Lena had felt like a crushing weight had been lifted off her chest. To know, and truly believe, that Kara didn't hold her responsible was an immense comfort. Lena didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize Kara's opinion of her. And she was afraid the idea she was considering had the potential to do just that.

"I was just thinking, about a possible solution to the problem with the alien refugees."

"Okay…." Kara said leadingly.

"And I realized, that I may be able to help. The woman, Koran Urvan, made me realize that there is a wealth of knowledge sitting on our doorstep, the only thing we have to do is tap into it.

The infusion of new ideas into L-Corp's R&D would be immense. Best of all, we wouldn't even need to develop some ideas from scratch. When I was walking around the center today I saw so much tech that could have immediate commercial appeal."

Kara looked at Lena, her brow creased in confusion. "Lena, that sounds amazing. Why did you look worried? Are you afraid that they may say no?"

"I was afraid that you might think I was taking advantage," Lena admitted hesitantly. Lena wasn't used to making business decisions with anything other than the bottom line as her concern. Kara's addition to her life had irrevocably changed that.

"How would you be taking advantage? Unless you plan on stealing the technology I don't see a problem."

"Of course I wouldn't steal it," Lena protested. There was no heat in her response, she knew Kara wasn't really accusing her wrongdoing. "These people need jobs, and I think L-Corp can help with that. At least for some of them. But I also stand to benefit greatly from the venture."

"Sounds like a win-win to me," Kara said with a smile. Kara grabbed Lena's hand, squeezing it warmly. "You're too hard on yourself. There is nothing wrong with helping people, and making a profit." Kara dropped her hand, and Lena had to resist the urge to hold on. "I think it's a great idea. They will much better off working for you, and under the protection of L-Corp. How much longer do you think it will be until a less scrupulous business man comes along and just takes the tech they want? Someone like Maxwell Lord?"

Lena's grimaced in distaste. She had had relatively few run ins with the CEO of Lord Industries, but each one had left a sour taste in her mouth. The man reminded her so much of her brother in so many ways. None of them good.

"Exactly," Kara said, taking note of Lena's expression. "At least with you, I know they will be treated fairly."

"So, you think it's a good idea?"

"I think it's a great idea," Kara corrected. Kara's stomach rumbled loudly, and Kara clasped her hands over it. "Sorry," Kara said sheepishly.

"I think it would also be a good idea to feed you," Lena said with a smile.

Kara nodded. "Probably." Kara stood up and offered her hand to pull Lena to her feet. "I can tell you about the time Alex went on a date with Maxwell Lord while we eat."

Lena stopped in her tracks. "Your sister and  _Max Lord_?" Lena asked incredulously. Lena tried to picture a more unlikely pairing, and her brain was drawing a decided blank. Alex Danvers seemed far too smart and self possessed to ever fall for Max's smarmy charm. Also, she seemed very gay.

Kara nodded, a smile quirking her lips. "Mmhmm. In her defense, it was part of an undercover op."

Lena nodded, her perception of the DEO agent restored. "That makes much more sense." Lena resumed her trek toward the kitchen. "That must have been absolutely torturous for her."

"It was not her favorite undercover operation. I think she much prefered the time she got to pose as Maggie's date at Roulette's underground fight club," Kara teased with a smirk. Kara took a seat at the island while Lena went to the refrigerator to retrieve dinner.

Lena would often forget to eat at normal times, or at all, but since Kara had moved in she had made a point to make sure the other woman was well fed. As a consequence, Lena herself was eating more regularly. Kara was insistent that she felt weird eating alone while Lena just watched.

"That's what you needed that information for?"

"Yup. It was basically their first date. Although, that was technically before Alex knew that she was into Maggie."

Lena joined Kara at the island while their dinner heated in the microwave. Kara insisted that her heat vision was quicker, but Lena didn't feel comfortable using Kara like a kitchen appliance, even if the other woman insisted it was fine.

"They seem so perfect for each other," Lena mused, taking a sip of wine from the glass that Kara had poured for her. "I can't picture them not being a couple."

Kara laughed. "Not only were they not a couple. Alex didn't even realize she was gay."

Lena spluttered inelegantly into her wine glass. Wiping her thumb across her lower lip she gathered any stray drops of wine. "I really can't picture your sister with man."

Kara shook her head slightly, before meeting Lena's gaze. "Huh. Oh. Well, neither could she," Kara said, recovering with a laugh.

"It's funny," Lena confided, leaning forward as though to share a secret. "When I came over to your apartment that day, and Alex was there, I….might have wondered if you two were…." Lena dipped her head to one side, letting the sentence trail off.

Kara looked at Lena, shocked. "Not you too!" Kara shook her head, shuddering. "You are the second person today to say that! I am going to have to sit down with Alex and figure out what kind of weird vibes we are giving off to lead people to that conclusion." Kara shivered again. "Gross."

Lena laughed. "Who was the other person?"

"Maggie!" Kara cried indignantly. "She thought maybe Alex and Supergirl were a thing."

Lena bit her lip to hide her smirk. She had a good idea about the source of the detectives suspicion. However, she couldn't very well tell Kara that the reason that both she and Maggie had seen a romantic relationship where there hadn't been one was because they were jealousy. Instead, she reached over and patted Kara's hand in comfort.

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Now that Alex is happily engaged, I doubt anyone will mistake you for a couple again," Lena teased.

"Thanks. That's really comforting," Kara huffed. "Speaking of Maggie and Alex, they were asking about coming over sometime."

"Coming over. Here?" Lena asked blankly. "Why?"

"To visit, silly." Kara tipped her head. "They like you, Lena. They like Ali." Kara paused, considering. "Well, Maggie likes Ali, but she's growing on Alex. I can tell. I was actually thinking it would be a good time to resurrect game night. The gang used to try to get together once a month to just hang out, but over the past year it's been all but forgotten."

"The gang?" Lena asked.

"Alex, James, Winn. At the time Lucy, but she moved away. Then we added Maggie, and sometimes J'onn, but that's always a little weird." Kara smiled happily. "And now that you know about the whole Supergirl thing, you can join too."

"You want to invite all of your friends over. To play games," Lena clarified.

"Yeah," Kara answered happily. When Lena remained silent, the smile slid off Kara's face. "Unless you don't want to? Oh, that's really rude of me. I shouldn't just assume it's okay to invite all my friends over to invade your house. It's just, I've wanted to include you for so long, and it wasn't really possible, and now it is, and I think if you just got to know everyone, you would all be great friends. But I understand. You probably don't want all those people in your house. We don't have to do it here. I can wait until I'm-"

"Kara!" Lena interrupted with a short laugh. "It's fine. I think it could be fun."

"You do?" Kara asked uncertainly.

Lena nodded firmly. "I do. It was just taking me a little time to get used to the idea. Luthors don't really have friends. We don't 'hang out'. It sounds nice," Lena admitted softly.

Lena was determined that she would not follow in her mother's footsteps. She didn't want to give Ali the same sterile upbringing that she had endured as a child. If game nights, and hanging out, and having friends were what normal people did, than Lena would try to adapt. As long as Kara was there to help show her the ropes, she was reasonably sure she wouldn't make a total mess of it.

"So, I should set it up?"

Lena nodded. "You should set it up."The microwave dinged, signalling their food was ready. Lena rose from her seat to retrieve the plates, hoping that she hadn't just made a terrible decision. The idea of hanging out with all of Kara's friends, and family was more than a little terrifying.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to the handling of the Sanvers situation, as well as a few other factors, I have stopped watching SG. I haven't watched any of S3 except for a few snippets here and there. I am still committed to finishing this fic, but don't expect it to incorporate anything (plot or character wise) that is happening in S3. 
> 
> Oh, and I know it's not canon compliant, but I can't write a story involving aliens without a tiny shout out to my first sci-fi love. So any resemblance to certain alien species from other sci-fi properties is completely intentional.


	12. The Games We Play

Kara exited the elevator, a happy bounce in her step. She couldn't wait for tonight. It had been far too long since the whole group had gotten together. Her excitement was compounded by the fact that she was finally able to include Lena.

"Hi, Jess! The boss in?" Kara asked, already moving past Jess's desk to open the door. She had long since moved beyond the need to be formally announced, knowing that Jess would stop her in time if Lena was truly in the middle of something that couldn't be interrupted.

"Hi, Kara. Ms. Luthor said you should just go on in once you arrived."

Kara smiled and nodded her understanding. Kara had left work a little early to get ready for tonight. It had been so long since she had hosted a game night, that she wanted it to be perfect. Knowing how stressed Lena was about work, Kara had offered to take Ali off her hands for the afternoon.

Lena still hadn't taken any steps toward finding a nanny, and Kara half hoped that if she helped more, Lena wouldn't have to. Kara knew it wasn't logical, and that it wasn't a long-term solution. Lena needed help. Full-time help. Unless she was prepared to step back from L-Corp, which Kara couldn't imagine her doing, something needed to change.

Which was part of the problem. Kara didn't want anything to change. For the first time in months, she was truly happy. The three of them had formed an almost quasi-family unit, and Kara didn't want it to end. Kara also didn't relish having to tell Alex she was right. Kara was almost certainly going to get hurt. Not getting to see Ali, and Lena, everyday, was going to be wrenching.

Kara opened the door, taking only a few steps into the room before coming to a surprised halt. Lena wasn't alone. Not only wasn't Lena alone, she was laughing and smiling at the woman she was talking to. The woman that was holding Ali in her arms, and making the baby laugh in delight. Kara felt a tendril of jealousy unfurl in her chest.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting?" Kara asked, trying to keep her voice apologetic, instead of accusatory. Lena turned, alerted to Kara's presence. "I can wait outside if you're busy?" Kara started to turn back toward the door.

"Don't be silly," Lena insisted, stepping away from the woman and walking across the room. Kara didn't recognize her species. "I'm actually glad that our meeting ran a little late." Lena cast a fond, though mildly exasperated, glance at Ali. "Someone decided that her opinion was critical to the discussion."

"She has a strong will. It is to be admired in one so young. She will be formidable once she gains maturity." The woman spoke, looking at Ali admiringly. Ali seemed to concur with the assessment, and flailed her arms, connecting her fist with the woman's nose.

"Oh my god! Are you okay?" Lena asked, rushing back to the woman's side.

"It is fine," the woman insisted gamely, shaking off the blow casually. The woman looked at Ali speculatively. "Her will is not the only thing that is strong."

Lena smiled nervously, and reached out for the baby. "Babies. They never seem to know their own strength." Taking Ali into her arms, Lena passed her absently to Kara, who had followed after Lena.

Ali gave a smile, and a happy gurgle as she pitched herself forward and clumsily tried to wrap her arms around Kara's neck. "Hey, did you miss me?" Kara asked the baby, kissing noisily along her neck, and earning a giggle.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Lena asked in concern, laying her hand on the woman's forearm.

"It is nothing," the woman said dismissively. "If I let one so small cause me injury, my House would never live down the shame."

"Your House?" Kara inquired, settling Ali against her side.

"The Great House of Urvan. Honored to have served on the High Council for over 30 generations."

"Never heard of it," Kara replied, looking at the woman squarely. Lena gave her a slightly panicked look that Kara couldn't quite interpret.

"Why would you?" the woman asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes to look at Kara more closely. "Knowledge of my people is not well known on this world."

Kara blushed, realizing now what Lena had been trying to convey. She had let her feeling of jealousy get the best of her, and she had forgotten that she was supposed to be Kara Danvers. Not Kara Zor El.

Kara reached up to adjust her glasses, breaking the eye contact. "Oh, I just meant that I hadn't come across it in any of my research. I'm a writer. Kara Danvers. I write. For CatCo. Maybe you've read some of my pieces? I did one a month ago on the alien refugee crisis."

"Never heard of you," the woman replied flatly, crossing her arms over her chest. Her disdain was easy to detect.

Kara bit her tongue but wanted to ask if she had heard of Supergirl. Alex would be so pissed if she outed herself to some random alien just to assuage her bruised ego and a jealous streak.

"This is Kara," Lena said, glancing at the woman. "I was telling you about her right before she arrived. Kara, this is the woman I told you about last week, Koran Urvan. She's been helping me work out the details of how best to integrate the people at the center into L-Corp." Lena smiled appreciatively at Koran.

Koran shook her head. "When I left Qo'nos seeking adventure, I never thought I would find myself working as a job placement officer."

So, this was Koran Urvan. Lena had only positive things to say about her work with the woman, but so far, Kara was not all that impressed. Sure, the woman was tall, imposing and looked like she could handle herself in a fight. If you were impressed with that sort of thing. To Kara's annoyance, Lena looked impressed.

"Having much success?" Kara asked, trying to be pleasant. She knew how much this initiative mean to Lena, and she didn't want Lena to interpret her initial dislike of Koran as a dismissal of the program.

"It has been slow, but we are making progress," Koran admitted. "There are many people at the center, and determining which ones have valuable information to share, and which are simply desperate to escape, can be difficult."

"I wish there were a way to get them all out of that place," Lena said regretfully. Before Kara could offer her typical statement of support, Koran spoke up.

"Wishing is an inefficient waste of time." Kara opened her mouth to defend Lena, but Koran continued. "Your actions are all that matter. Your actions show you to be honorable."

Kara watched, stunned, as Lena blushed, and dipped her gaze. In all the time that Kara had known her, Kara didn't think she had ever seen Lena Luthor blush. Not even when she had interacted with Jack. Kara frowned at the thought.

"Thank you, Koran."

"There is no need to thank me. I am merely speaking the truth."

"Still, I value your opinion."

Tired of being ignored, Kara could relate, Ali let out an unhappy grunt, and grabbed a fistful of Kara's hair, giving a tug. Kara let out a wince, which Lena noticed.

"I think she may be hungry. I knew you were coming to get her, so I skipped her afternoon feeding. I figured it would be better for you to give her her bottle at the apartment so you could put her down for her afternoon nap."

"I will go," Koran stated abruptly.

"Oh, you don't have to-"

"I have overstayed. I will be in touch with you tomorrow about the...chemistry...candidates," Koran stumbled briefly over the strange word. Kara could sympathize. Leaning Earth science terms had taken her quite a while.

"You really don't have to rush out," Lena insisted. Kara wished she would stop protesting and just let the woman leave already.

"You have family matters to attend to. I will return tomorrow."

"Oh, we're not-," Lena cut herself off mid-sentence and shook her head. "Let me walk you out. I'll have Jess arrange a car to take you back to the center."

"I have told you that I enjoy walking," Koran insisted. Kara thought she could almost detect a playful undertone to the objection, indicating that this was a common point of contention between the pair.

"And, as I've told you, I insist," Lena joked back playfully. Kara watched the pair exit the office with a scowl. Kara couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something she just didn't like about that woman.

* * *

"So, what did you think of her?" Lena asked, entering her office. She smiled when she saw Kara sitting on the couch, jump-bouncing Ali off her knees. Lena had been working with Koran all week to move forward on the integration of aliens into her company workforce, and she was excited about the progress so far.

There were hurdles, of course. L-Corp was big enough that Lena could realistically absorb as many of the refugees as had useful skills. However, determining where those skills best fit, wasn't always easy. Then there were the aliens, that, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find a place for. Lena wasn't giving up. She was determined that if she couldn't hire them herself, she would work with other companies in National City to secure them employment.

Kara glanced at Lena, momentarily pausing the bouncing, which displeased Ali to no small degree. Lena had to concede that Ali had most likely inherited her temper.

Kara shrugged. "She seemed okay."

Lena frowned at the tepid response. She didn't know why it was important to her that Kara like Koran, but it was. Lena didn't have many friends, none really, and though she had only known her a short time, she enjoyed spending time with Koran. Lena appreciated the woman's blunt honesty and no-frills attitude.

"You didn't like her?" Lena questioned.

"I didn't say that," Kara denied, not all that convincingly in Lena's opinion. "I don't even know her."

"No, you don't," Lena said, a bit short. Instead of joining Kara on the couch, Lena walked over to her desk and took a seat.

"I didn't mean to upset you," Kara apologized, standing up from the couch and walking towards Lena's desk.

"I'm not upset," Lena insisted, obviously upset.

Kara looked at Lena skeptically. "Really? Because you sound mad."

"I'm not mad," Lena ground out.

"Clearly," Kara quipped sarcastically.

Lena blew out a frustrated breath and raised her eyes to meet Kara's gaze. "I'm not mad," she said, much more calmly, "I'm….disappointed."

"Why?" Kara asked, moving closer to Lena, her face a mask of concern.

"It's silly," Lena insisted, shaking her head. "I just like working with her so much, and I was hoping you two would get along."

"We could still get along," Kara said earnestly. "I get along with almost everyone. Even Snapper." Kara tipped her head side to side. "Well, more or less. Our relationship has been much better since the invasion. He barely insults me anymore."

"It just figures, that one of the few people that you don't immediately take a liking too, is someone I could see being friends with." Lena sighed. "Someone I was hoping could help with my whole nanny problem."

"You wanted to ask her to be Ali's nanny?" Kara asked incredulously, her voice pitching up at the end.

Lena laughed. "No. Though, I won't deny that there is something to the image of that nearly 6-foot-tall, heavily muscled, leather-clad woman, changing a dirty diaper that is decidedly amusing." Lena gave herself a moment to enjoy the dichotomy before shaking her head to clear her thoughts.

"No. I was hoping to ask her if she had any ideas about who at the center may make a good caretaker for Ali."

"One of the aliens?" Kara questioned, sounding uncertain.

Lena nodded. "I think, given Ali's….rather unique parentage, it would be the best option. She is only going to grow stronger as she gets older, and, while I know none of them are likely to be quite as resilient as you," Lena teased lightly, "I know some are endowed with increased strength and may be better able to handle her. What do you think?"

Kara looked at Ali, concern written plainly on her face. "You'd have to tell them the truth about her."

"I would," Lena confirmed. "Realistically, any help I hire to care for her will have to be told." Lena leaned back, folding her hands over her stomach, trying to read Kara's reaction. "You think it's a bad idea."

It wasn't a question. Lena could see the doubt clearly on Kara's face. To be honest, Lena wasn't wild about the idea either, but she didn't see any way to avoid it. Whoever she hired to care for Ali, and she was going to need to hire someone soon, would need to be told the truth. At least an alien, endowed with enhanced strength, wouldn't be risking physical injury.

"I just...It's a risk. You haven't changed your mind about people knowing the truth about Ali's alien origins have you?" Lena shook her head. "Revealing the truth risks exposure. Risks making her a target."

"I know. Which is partly why I have been putting it off." Lena sighed, frustrated. "But I can't keep delaying. I need to get back to some semblance of a normal schedule. My senior staff has been holding down the fort, but I can't continue to be this hands-off, and distracted, and expect my company to survive. I just wish there were some way I could know for certain that I could trust her with Ali's secret."

"Maybe there is," Kara said, a thoughtful look on her face.

"What are you thinking?" Lena asked, leaning forward, intrigued. If Kara had a potential solution to her problem, she wanted to know about it.

"I need to check on a few things, and I'll let you know as soon as I find out," Kara replied cryptically. Checking the time, Kara shook her head. "I better get this one home, and fed, or we are going to be heading for a full-on melt-down."

"Okay," Lena relented reluctantly. She really wanted to know what Kara was thinking, but she equally new that a hungry, cranky, overtired Ali was something to be avoided at all costs. "Everyone is coming over at 8?"

Kara nodded, walking across the room to retrieve Ali's diaper bag from the couch. "Alex said Maggie might run a little late, but she was going to do her best to make sure she got everything wrapped up." Kara smiled at Lena. "This is Maggie's first time too, so you won't be the only newbie there."

"Maggie's never attended a game night?" Lena asked in surprise. Lena knew the couple had been together for over a year.

Kara shook her head. "Everything was so crazy last year, and then, after the invasion, everyone has been so busy, there just hasn't been the time." Kara grinned at Lena in excitement. "I'm really looking forward to tonight," Kara admitted.

Lena returned Kara's smile, her happiness infectious. "Really? You're hiding it so well."

"Eight-o-clock! Don't be late. No excuses," Kara warned.

"I won't be late. I'm planning to be home by 7:30 so I can help with any last minute preparations."

Kara nodded, apparently satisfied. "Say goodbye to Lena," Kara instructed, picking up Ali's tiny fist to wave it at Lena in farewell. "We'll see you later. Don't be late," Kara reminded one more time.

Lena watched them go, a soft smile on her face. Glancing around her office, she shook her head. If anyone had told her a few months ago, that her once immaculate workspace would be overrun with baby items, she would have thought them as crazy as her brother. Yet, here she was, surrounded by playpens, small stuffed animals, pacifiers, fuzzy blankets, and a very successful gyroscopic prototype baby swing.

Lena had a hard time remembering it any other way.

* * *

Lena rushed into the apartment at 7:52. She had an apology half-formed on her lips, but it died unspoken. Lena had expected to come home and be confronted with Kara telling her 'I told you so'. Instead, she was greeted by the sight of a sleeping Kara sprawled out on the couch, Ali curled up on her chest.

Kicking off her shoes, she hung up her coat and dropped her keys and purse on the table by the door. Padding quietly over to the couch, she stopped a few inches short and gazed at the dozing pair. Kara had one hand flung up over her head, but the other was resting on Ali's back, holding the baby securely in place. Ali shifted slightly, burrowing her face into the crook of Kara's neck. Even in sleep, Kara automatically tightened her grip to ensure that the baby didn't slip off.

They looked so peaceful, that Lena wanted to just leave them, but she knew that with guests arriving shortly, it wasn't an option. Letting them sleep a few moments more, Lena took her phone and snapped a few photos. She didn't think she would ever forget this moment, but just in case, she wanted a permanent record.

As much as she wished otherwise, Lena recognized that the time was quickly approaching when Kara would return to her apartment. Her help these past weeks had been invaluable, and Lena would be sad, more than sad if she were completely honest, to see her go, but it wasn't fair to keep asking her to put her life on hold. Once Lena hired help, Kara would be free to return to her regular life.

Unable to resist the temptation, she was only human after all, Lena reached out and rested her hand on Kara's shoulder. She ran her hand lightly down Kara's arm, hoping the gentle contact would wake her. When, after a few moments, Kara failed to stir, Lena shook her softly.

"Kara, you need to wake up," Lena called quietly, not wanting to wake Ali. Lena saw a small frown appear on Kara's face, but she still failed to rouse. Sighing, Lena leaned over. "Kara," she said, with slightly more volume, right beside Kara's ear. "Nap time is over."

Finally, Kara stirred, and Lena pulled back, not wanting to startle Kara if she woke to find Lena looming over her. Slowly, foggy blue eyes blinked open. It took only a few seconds for the confusion of sleep to clear, and her gaze to sharpen.

"Oh, no! I fell asleep," Kara yelped, starting to sit up. Lena quickly placed a hand on Kara's shoulder and pushed her back into a prone position.

"You did, but you weren't the only one." Lena motioned her head toward the small, still sleeping figure on Kara's chest.

Kara relaxed back into the couch. "She was acting a little fussy, so I thought laying down with her would help. Apparently, it worked a little too well," Kara said, chagrined. "What time is it?"

It was now Lena's turn to look a little sheepish. "About five til eight," she admitted.

Kara's eyes widened in alarm. "I need to finish setting up." Kara once again made to get up, but Lena held her pinned in place.

"Why don't you let me take her, and see if I can get her settled in her crib before everyone gets here." Kara hesitated, before finally nodding. Lena looked at the baby for a moment, trying to figure out the best angle of attack.

Kneeling down beside the couch, Lena carefully slid both hands under Ali. She deliberately blocked out what else her hands were sliding against. With one hand under Ali's chest, and the other lower on her stomach, she carefully pulled the baby toward her. Leaning back, Lena carefully transferred the still sleeping baby onto her chest. Standing slowly, she rubbed her hand soothingly over Ali's back. The baby smacked her lips a few times, let out a sleepy grunt, but remained sleeping.

Lena smiled at Kara, happy her maneuver had been successful and motioned her head toward the nursery. Kara nodded her understanding, and Lena made her exit.

* * *

Kara ran her fingers through her hair, trying to work out some of the sleep tangles that had developed. She couldn't believe that she had fallen asleep. Luckily she had managed to get most of the preparations for game night in place before Ali had started acting up.

Pulling a tray of snacks from the refrigerator, Kara placed them on the dining room table next to a variety of games were already stacked on the surface. Alex and Maggie had insisted on bringing the alcohol.

"Do you need help with anything?" Lena said, entering the living room.

"She went down okay?" Kara asked, instead of answering.

Lena nodded. "A few grumbles, but she settled in without any trouble." Lena looked around the room, taking in Kara's preparations. "Are you all set, or do you need a hand with anything?" Lena repeated.

"I think everything is set." Kara looked at Lena, still wearing the dress she had worn to the office. "You have time to go and change."

Lena laughed, looking down at her outfit. "I wasn't aware there was a dress code," Lena teased.

"There's not," Kara hastened to explain. "I just thought you would want to change into something more...casual."

"I hadn't planned on changing," Lena admitted, smoothing her hands down the fabric of her dress. It was a gesture Kara recognized. Lena was nervous. She supposed she should have anticipated as much. Even though Lena had interacted with everyone a bit more over the past year due to her collaboration with the DEO, they were hardly what you would consider friends. It was something that Kara hoped tonight would start to change.

"It's totally up to you," Kara replied, not wanting to make Lena feel insecure about her decision. "I just think you would be more comfortable. This isn't a meeting. You don't have to impress anyone."

Lena looked down at her outfit, and let out a sigh. "I'll go change."

Kara bit her lip. Now she felt bad. "If you want to stay in that, it's fine."

Lena shook her head. "No. You're right. This is a ridiculous choice for an informal night at home. I'll just be a minute."

Lena had been barely left the room when Kara heard a knock on the apartment door. Rushing over she opened the door, smiling in greeting at Winn and James.

"Hey, glad you guys could make it," Kara said. Kara tilted her head. "Did you guys come together?"

James smiled, shaking his head. "No, I found this one lurking in the lobby when I arrived." James indicated Winn with his thumb.

"I wasn't lurking!" Winn insisted. "I was...waiting for someone else to arrive so we could share the elevator and conserve energy." Winn looked pleased with his answer, but James just laughed at him.

"Sure, buddy. I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that Lena still terrifies you."

"She does not!" Winn hissed, looking past Kara in alarm, searching the area for Lena.

"She's getting changed," Kara reassured Winn. Winn's cheeks went ruddy at that announcement.

It was no secret to anyone that Winn was maybe just a little bit intimidated by Lena. Every time Kara saw the two interact at the DEO, Winn would turn into a slight stuttering mess. Kara sympathized with the man's plight. She had been almost as bad when she first started spending time with Lena. It was easy to be intimidated by Lena. Kara also suspected that Winn's nervousness was compounded by the fact that he may have a small crush on the CEO.

Winn and Lyra had broken up months ago, but he had been slow to start dating again. Even if he was able to get past his intimidation, Kara didn't think he would ever act on his attraction to Lena. Kara had no idea if Lena was interested in dating, but she could certainly do much worse than Winn. If Kara was a good friend, and she liked to think she was, she would make a few subtle inquiries with Lena to see if she was interested.

Kara nodded to herself. She would do that. Soon. Just maybe not tonight. After all, she didn't want to overwhelm Lena with too many things in one night.

"Alex and Maggie here yet?" James asked, deciding to take pity on Winn, who still hadn't regained the ability of speech.

Kara shook her head. "No. Maggie was on until 7. Alex warned me they might be a little late."

"What are we playing tonight?" Winn finally asked, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

Kara shrugged. "I figured I would leave it up to the group to decide."

* * *

"Absolutely not!" Alex said, reaching over to pull the game box out of Winn's hands.

"Why not?" he demanded. "We said we would give every game a fair chance."

Alex looked at the box critically. "Wasn't this a TV show?"

Winn gasped, looking truly shocked. "Yes! Twice, as a matter of fact." Winn snatched the box back from Alex, holding it protectively against his chest. "This game is a collector's item."

Alex continued to look unimpressed. "Then maybe we should leave it safe in its box. It looks like it's in mint condition."

"It is," Winn said proudly, missing Alex's sarcasm.

"Yeah, well, we aren't playing that," Alex insisted, pointing a finger distastefully at the box Winn held. "Any other suggestions?"

"What about Taboo?" James suggested. "We could play teams?"

"No," Kara said immediately. "Alex and Maggie have that weird couple telepathy thing going on. It's unfair."

"So, we just won't let them be on the same team," Winn proclaimed. Alex looked at Winn, squinting her eyes in a glare. Winn swallowed. "Or we can pick another game. Monopoly?"

It was Maggie's turn to protest. "With the CEO of a multi-national, billion dollar business empire playing? I don't think so. Plus, have you ever known a game of Monopoly to end in under ten hours, and with everyone still on speaking terms? Pass."

"What's your suggestion then?" Winn demanded.

"Clue?"

"With a decorated National City detective playing? I don't think so," Winn retorted.

"Do you guys always have such a hard time picking a game?" Lena asked.

"Yes!" Everyone chorused together.

"At this rate, all we are going to be left with is Twister," Winn complained.

Kara shook her head. "Can't. Maggie's a yoga nut. Alex says it makes her super flexible."

"Kara!" Alex hissed. "That was said in confidence."

Kara frowned, momentarily confused. The heat coloring Alex's cheeks, Maggie's mildly smug grin, and everyone else looking pointedly anywhere but at Alex and Maggie, clued Kara in. "Oh. Gross."

"Yeah, well. Can we please just pick something?" Alex demanded, glaring at the pile of games.

* * *

Maggie squinted at the whiteboard, head tilted to the side. "A giraffe?"

Alex huffed and glared at her girlfriend in annoyance. "Do people ride giraffes, Maggie?"

"That's a person?"

"No talking!" Kara cried. "Talking is cheating."

"It doesn't seem to be helping them anyway," Winn snickered.

"Time!" James called out.

"What the hell was that supposed to be?" Maggie demanded.

"Knight of the Round Table," Lena said immediately.

Alex pointed accusingly at her fiance. "See! Lena can see it."

Maggie shook her head. "Sorry, babe. Your drawing skills suck." Maggie turned to look at Lena. "How on earth did you guess that? It just looks like a blob, with a few smaller blobs on top."

"Hey!" Alex cried indignantly.

Lena shrugged. "Lucky guess?"

"I knew I picked the right partner," Kara proclaimed proudly.

It was a foregone conclusion that Maggie and Alex would be on the same team. Besides the fact that Alex would have threatened anyone that tried to separate them, Kara was worried that the couple's natural competitive streak could quickly escalate. She figured it was safer for all involved if they were on the same team. She had simply failed to account for Alex's terrible drawing skills.

Kara recognized that pairing Lena and Winn as a team would be a perfect opportunity to see how they got along and worked together. Given her earlier thought about potentially setting them up, it should have been an easy decision to pick James as her own partner. She knew they worked well together, and both were passable on sketching. They would have been a dominant force.

She hadn't hesitated to call dibs on Lena. She tried to tell herself that it was to make sure Lena didn't feel out of place or uncomfortable. Other than Kara, she didn't really know any of the rest of the group all that well. She was only thinking of Lena. If it had the added benefit of keeping Lena beside her on the couch, well, that was a happy coincidence.

"What's the score?" Alex asked grumpily, arms crossed over her chest.

Winn consulted his tally sheet. "Kara and Lena-5, James and me-3, you and Maggie-2."

"Next time we play something else," Alex grumbled. Maggie grabbed Alex's hand and pulled her down on the couch beside her. She leaned over and kissed her consolingly on the cheek. Alex settled against Maggie's side, looking slightly appeased.

Kara took in the group, warmth suffusing her chest. Alex's grumpiness aside, this was exactly what she had hoped for the evening.

"Are we playing another round?" James asked, consulting his watch.

Kara looked at Lena. "It's not that late. Do you want to play a few more rounds, or call it quits?"

Lena shrugged, and look at everyone else. "I'm good for a few more rounds." Lena laughed. "I have gotten amazingly good at existing on only a few hours of sleep."

"Maybe you could give Kara some tips," James joked. "I caught her sleeping in her office yesterday."

"I was resting my eyes," Kara insisted firmly.

"Is snoring part of resting your eyes now?" James asked, looking at Kara challengingly.

"I don't snore," Kara defended herself.

"Yes, you do," Alex and Lena chimed in. Kara looked at Lena in surprise, watching as a slight blush tinted her cheeks.

"Do I snore that loudly?" Kara asked, slightly embarrassed.

Lena shook her head. "No. It's barely noticeable really."

Alex snorted, and Kara glared at her sister.

"I'm sorry if it disturbs you," Kara apologized.

"You never apologized for disturbing me," Alex grumbled under her breath. Kara chose to ignore her.

"It doesn't. I've just heard it a few times when I've had to check on Ali."

"Still. If it bothers you, I can close the door. It's not like I need it open to hear Ali."

"It doesn't," Lena insisted, patting Kara on the knee reassuringly.

"Right. Well, not that this look into your sleeping habits hasn't been fascinating, but are we playing or what?" Alex asked.

"Ready to lose again so soon?" Kara gibed.

"Next time we're playing a game of my choosing," Alex groused.

"Don't be a sore loser," Kara taunted.

"I think we should change partners," Winn suggested.

"What? Why?" Kara demanded, glaring at Winn and crossing her arms. She glanced sideways at Lena to gauge her response. Judging by her expression, she was open to the idea. Kara was not.

"You said it yourself. She's a great partner. She can actually draw something more complex than a stick figure-"

"At least you can tell what my stick figures are," James interjected.

"-and she can decipher Alex's hieroglyphs."

"Don't test me, Schott."

"Don't be selfish, Kara. You have to spread the wealth."

Kara looked at Winn, annoyed. "I think it's better if we just stick with the same partners. It would be too disruptive to switch now."

"You just don't want to lose in case you get partnered with Alex," Winn complained.

"I'm not that bad!" Alex cried, insulted.

"You really are," Maggie corrected her. "Don't worry, you make up for it in other ways." Maggie patted her consolingly on the leg.

Hearing a faint stirring at the edges of her hearing, Kara tilted her head. Saved by the bell. "Actually, hold that thought. I think someone else wants to join the party." Kara started to rise from the couch, but Lena grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"Do you want me to get her?"

Kara shook her head. "I've got her. I'm sure she's going to be hungry though, so if you could get her bottle ready?"

* * *

"Does anyone want any refills while I'm in the kitchen?" Lena asked, rising from the couch. Now that Kara was gone, she felt the awkwardness creeping in. She wasn't used to just sitting around, and just...hanging out with people. Usually, if she was in a group, she was attending a meeting or networking. There was a purpose to the interaction.

James, Winn, and Alex all replied in the affirmative. "I'll give you a hand," Maggie offered, after sharing a brief glance with Alex. Lena thought that must be the couple's telepathy Kara had mentioned earlier.

Lena walked into the kitchen, her nervousness not abating. She had grown more comfortable around Maggie, but the relationship was still a little uncertain. Lena had put the arrest behind her, Maggie had only been doing her job, and acting on the evidence provided. Lena actually thought Kara had taken that whole episode harder than she had.

Maggie deposited a few empty beer bottles in the recycling, while Lena retrieved a bottle of formula from the fridge. Popping it into the warmer, she refilled the snack bowls to keep her hands busy.

Maggie retrieved fresh bottles and started popping the tops, leaning back on the counter casually, settling in to wait with Lena.

"So, how are you liking your first game night?" Maggie asked.

"I understand that it's your first game night as well," Lena deflected, instead of answering. It wasn't that she wasn't having fun, she simply found the whole experience a little unbalancing. It was so far outside of her norm that she was having a hard time assessing her feelings.

"First official game night, yes, but I've had over a year to get used to this motley crew." Maggie eyed Lena knowingly. "They can be a little much to handle, but they're good people."

Lena shifted uncomfortably, feeling mildly exposed. She thought she had done a better job at hiding her unease. "I'm sure they are," Lena replied immediately. She ran her hands over her sides, smoothing invisible wrinkles. "I'm just not used to," Lena spread her arms out, "all this."

"Having a pack of barely civilized hooligans invade your space?" Maggie teased with a smile.

Lena laughed. "That too. I was referring more to the casual hanging out with friends." Lena frowned. "Luthors don't really have friends."

"Well, you better get used to it," Maggie instructed. "I don't see Kara letting you escape quite so easily this time." Lena looked at Maggie searchingly, not sure if the statement was meant to censure or not.

Maggie held up her hands. "No judgment from me. Sometimes you need to take time, and space, to work through stuff." Maggie shrugged, crossing her arms. "Kara was worried about you."

"Did she say that?" Lena asked uncertainly.

Maggie looked at her as though she doubted Lena's intelligence. "Of course she did. She cares about you."

"I never meant to worry her," Lena admitted. Lena shook her head. "It was just... a lot to deal with. It didn't feel fair to put that on her."

"Trust me, I get it. Before last year, my normal way of dealing with anything was to lock myself in my apartment, drink more than is healthy, and brood."

Lena laughed softly. "I have more than a passing acquaintance with that technique myself," Lena admitted ruefully.

"I thought you might have." Maggie looked at Lena kindly. "However, I've learned that the alternative can be pretty great too."

"So Kara has told me."

"She's a smart girl. You should listen to her."

"I've been trying," Lena admitted. "It can all just be a little overwhelming."

Maggie looped an arm over Lena's shoulder. Lena tensed for a moment, before relaxing into the touch. "You'll get used to it. I did. Kara adores you, and that's good enough for us."

Lena eyed the trio in the living room. "Even James?" she inquired, her eyebrow cocking slightly. It wasn't that James had been cold to her, but Lena had sensed a distinct reserve all evening. On more than one occasion, she had caught him looking at her and Kara with a pensive expression.

"James...can be a little overprotective of Kara," Maggie admitted. "He's just cautious."

"I'm sure my being a Luthor doesn't help," Lena said sarcastically. Lena knew that Kara and James had almost been a thing, but that it had fizzled before it had truly gone anywhere. Lena wondered if part of James reserve wasn't him sensing Lena's less than platonic feelings for Kara.

Instead of reassuring her, as Kara would have done, Maggie shrugged. "It probably doesn't help. His friendship with Clark sometimes gets in the way. It has caused tension between him and Kara in the past as well. Give him time, he'll get over it." Maggie gazed at him thoughtfully. "And if he doesn't, Kara will kick his ass."

* * *

"Oh my god! She's so cute," Winn exclaimed. Kara beamed, sitting down next to Winn so he could get a better look. Her earlier irritation with the man forgotten now that he was engaging in one of her favorite activities; cooing over Ali. Other than brief trips to the DEO for medical exams, Ali hadn't really spent any time around any of the group other than Alex and Maggie.

Alex looked at Winn in disgust. "Jesus, Schott, did you just squeal?"

"I can't help it," Winn defended himself, unabashedly. "Look at her. She's adorable. How can you not squeal?"

"Easily," Alex retorted.

"You should see her with a new firearm," Maggie revealed, reentering the room, hands full of drinks. Lena trailed behind, carrying Ali's bottle as well as a tray of snacks. "She gets as giddy as a schoolgirl with a new crush."

"Oh, I've seen it," Winn confessed. He shuddered lightly. "Most disturbing." Alex reached over and punched him in the upper arm, causing Winn to yelp.

"Alex, no hitting. We talked about this," Maggie scolded, sitting down practically on top her fiance. Whether to be close or to separate Alex from Winn, Kara wasn't entirely sure. Probably both. "Here, keep your hands busy." Maggie handed Alex a fresh beer bottle, partly mollifying the redhead.

Ali was looking around alertly, content at the moment to take in the new, and slightly familiar faces. Lena knew it wouldn't last long. Once the novelty wore off, Ali would be demanding her bottle. Her enhanced appetite still make it impossible for her to sleep through the night. They planned to start introducing solid food soon, and Lena was hoping it would help.

Lena perched on the arm of the sofa, bracing her arm on the top of the couch behind Kara. Reaching down with her left hand, she stroked the baby's cheek. "Are you enjoying meeting everyone?"

Kara nodded and smiled at Lena. "She was a little shy at first, but she seems to be getting used to everyone."

"Winn's shrieking probably didn't help," Alex grumbled under breath, taking a sip of her beer.

"She's beautiful," James said, leaning forward to get a better look at the baby.

"Isn't she?" Kara said proudly. "She looks just like Lena. Don't you think?" Kara turned the baby to face James so he could get a better look. He glanced back and forth between the two, before nodding his head.

"Definitely a family resemblance," he conceded.

Ali's fascination with the group appeared to be waning, and a faint furrow creased her brow. "Uh, oh. Lena?" Kara prompted, holding out her hand expectantly.

Bottle in hand, Kara popped the nipple into Ali's mouth, and the baby started suckling contentedly, her eyes almost immediately drooping.

"Awwww," Winn cooed. Alex rolled her eyes.

Kara smiled down at Ali, content in a way she hadn't been since arriving on Earth.

* * *

Lena strode off the elevator, pushing Ali ahead of her in her stroller, diaper bag slung across her back.

"Good morning, Jess," Lena greeted warmly, approaching her assistant's desk.

"Good morning, Ms. Luthor. Someone's in a good mood this morning."

"Am I usually not?" Lena asked her tone light and teasing. Jess flushed.

"Oh, no. I didn't mean anything-"

Lena held up her hand, halting Jess's apology. "Relax. I was teasing. Anything I need to know about?"

Jess shook her head. "Nothing urgent. You have that video conference at 10:30 with the Metropolis office."

Lena grimaced. She hated dealing with the Metropolis office. The specter of her brother still loomed over L-Corp, but nowhere was it more noticeable than in Metropolis. Not for the first time, Lena debated shuttering that branch. It was the oldest office, but if Lena truly wanted to separate L-Corp from Luthor Corp, it might finally be time to sever that tie to the past.

"Thank you, Jess. I may need you to keep an eye on Ali for me during that meeting." Lena had a hard enough time getting her the Metropolis office to view her as anything other than Lex's little sister. Holding a meeting with a baby in tow would do nothing but undermine her authority. She hated to press Jess into childcare, it wasn't her job, but until Lena worked out the whole nanny situation, she didn't have much choice.

"Of course," Jess replied readily. "I love spending time with Ali."

Jess sounded sincere enough, but Lena still mentally made a note to give her assistant an extra large bonus this year. Entering her office, she scooped Ali out of her stroller. Holding the baby up, she looked her in the eyes.

"What do you think? Playpen, or playmat?" As Ali had gained more control over her limbs, she had been more content to occupy herself. Ali kicked her legs, and smiled, reaching out for Lena. "Playmat it is," Lena responded.

Lena dragged the playmat, with various dangling toys over to the area beside her desk. Settling Ali on her back under the toys, Lena watched the baby grasp for the toys with determination. Content that Ali would keep herself occupied for at least a few minute, Lena booted up her computer.

Working steadily, with frequent checks on Ali, Lena was able to get through a good portion of her inbox. Just as she was hitting send on the last email, Ali started to fuss, clearly bored.

"Sick of being ignored are we?" Lena asked, standing up and kicking off her shoes. Dropping down, she tucked her knees under her, and picked up the baby, placing her in a sitting position. Along with her coordination, her stability was improving, and she was able to sit up by herself for extended stretches. Lena still didn't like to wander far, just in case. Kara was convinced she would start crawling any day. Lena had caught her more than a few times trying to demonstrate the proper technique to the baby.

"What did you think of everyone last night?" Lena questioned the baby, who laughed. Lena raised her eyebrows. "You like them that much. That's good, I think they were quite taken with you too."

In truth, Lena had been a little in awe of how quickly the group, even James, had taken to Ali. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised. Ali really was a sweet, and adorable child. Even still, the idea that Ali was going to grow up with an extended circle of doting aunts and uncles was going to take a little getting used to.

Lena was tickling Ali's stomach, causing the baby to squirm and giggle hysterically when she heard a commotion in the outer office.

"Wait! You can't just go in there." She heard Jess's outraged cry. Scrambling to her feet, Lena instinctively grabbed Ali off the floor and turned her body slightly away from the door, shielding the baby from whoever was about to burst through the door.

Her instincts proved to be correct because when the door swung open, it revealed the absolute last person Lena wanted to see.

"Hello, Mother," Lena greeted coolly.


	13. Mommy Dearest

"So, last night was interesting," Alex said, sending a vicious right-hook towards Kara's face.

Kara leaned back just in time, deflecting the blow with her left arm. "Interesting how?" Trying to catch Alex by surprise, Kara dropped down and swept her leg towards Alex's feet. Alex jumped easily over the attempt and used Kara's lower position to send a quick counter kick to her head. Kara performed a reverse somersault, narrowly avoiding the blow, and sprang back to her feet.

"You and Lena seem to have developed a good routine. Very domestic." The statement sounded innocent enough, but Kara suspected that Alex was leading somewhere with this. Kara's momentary inattention allowed Alex to land a punch to her ribs, and Kara winced.

"We have," Kara confirmed, landing a glancing blow off Alex's shoulder. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Not bad," Alex said with a shrug. "Just making an observation."

Kara laughed. "Right. When do you ever just make an observation?"

"Are you still planning on moving out?" Alex questioned, grabbing Kara's arm and turning into her body. Before she could react, Kara found herself on her back, blinking up at a grinning Alex. "You get distracted too easily."

Kara wrapped her hand around Alex's ankle and pulled, sending Alex crashing down beside her. "And you gloat too much."

"And you're avoiding the question."

Kara turned her head to look at Alex. "I'm not avoiding the question. I still plan to move out."

"You don't sound all that thrilled at the prospect. I would have thought you'd be eager to get back to your apartment. Changing diapers and late night bottle feedings can't be the highlight of your day."

"It's not that bad," Kara said a little defensively. "I don't mind. I need to stay at least until Lena hires some help. I don't feel right just abandoning her."

"How's that going?"

"She's thinking about hiring an alien from one of the refugee centers. She's committed to helping as many of them as she can."

"Is that a good idea?" Alex asked, sounding concerned.

Kara shrugged. "I asked her the same thing. She seemed to think it would be fine." Kara frowned. "She believes she can trust Koran Urvan. I was thinking of asking J'onn to screen her to make sure she's trustworthy."

Alex looked at Kara in surprise. "Aren't you usually the one telling me that I need to stop being so suspicious, and learn to trust people more?"

Kara shifted, uncomfortable under Alex's scrutiny. "There's just something about her that strikes me the wrong way."

"Mmmhmm," Alex hummed knowingly.

Kara turned to glare at her sister. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Alex replied innocently.

Kara huffed, tired of Alex dancing around whatever point she so clearly wanted to make. "Would you just say whatever it is you want to say already?"

"I just wonder if maybe you aren't letting your jealousy cloud your judgment." Alex held up her hand and brought her index finger and thumb together until they were almost touching. "Just a little."

"Pfft. I'm not jealous. Why would I be jealous? There's nothing to be jealous about," Kara declared, crossing her arms defensively over her chest.

Alex looked at her in amusement. "Clearly."

Kara frowned at her sister. "What makes you think I'm jealous?"

Alex tipped her gaze toward the ceiling and tapped her finger on her cheek. "You mean other than the rant filled phone call yesterday after you picked up Ali?"

Kara flushed bright red. "Yes, other than that," she muttered, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity. She could concede now that her reaction the previous day may have been a tiny bit out of proportion. She had just been so annoyed by the smug woman that Kara had needed to vent to someone.

"How about the fact that I thought you were going to burn holes through Winn a few times last night?"

"Winn?" Kara exclaimed, genuinely surprised. She could admit that she had maybe been a little bit jealous of Koran. The woman had clearly captured Lena's and Ali's attention. It had made Kara feel like she was on the outside looking in when she observed them interacting. She hadn't liked the feeling. But Winn?

"Uh, yeah," Alex confirmed, nodding her head. "Maggie and I had bet on whether or not you were actually going to zap him at one point. I thought for sure when he stole Lena as his partner for the second round he was done for, but you decided to sulk instead."

"I was not sulking," Kara denied. Yes, she had hoped to retain Lena as her partner, but when Winn had brought the issue up again, much to Kara's annoyance, she had graciously let it go when Lena had accepted.

"You barely participated. Poor James was left hanging. You just sat there and scowled at Winn."

"He was being obnoxious every time they scored a point."

"He gave Lena a high five."

"It was excessive!" Kara protested.

"Lena seemed to enjoy it," Alex taunted.

Kara frowned. That news should make her happy. She was thinking about trying to set them up after all. What could be better than two of her closest friends getting together? Winn loved kids and would be wonderful to Ali. Kara felt her stomach clench uncomfortably. "She did? Do you think she likes Winn? I was thinking about maybe trying to set them up…"

Alex rolled her eyes. "You really can be an idiot sometimes."

"Why am I an idiot?" Kara demanded.

"You want to set Lena up with Winn? Really?"

"They're both single. They like the same things. They seem to get along," Kara defended herself. If she suddenly felt a little queasy, she just chalked it up to the dozen donuts she had for breakfast.

Alex crossed her arms and looked pointedly at Kara. "You should do it then," Alex declared. "Set it up. You can even watch Ali for them while they go on their date."

Kara frowned, not liking the idea, but nodding anyway. "Maybe I will," she maintained stubbornly.

Alex threw up her hands. "I give up! You're hopeless." Alex started to stalk off, but Kara grabbed her arm, halting her.

"Would you just tell me already!" Kara demanded, frustrated with Alex's continued vagueness.

Alex stopped and turned around. "I promised Maggie that I wouldn't say anything," Alex admitted reluctantly.

"What does Maggie have to do with it?" Kara asked, confused.

"She thinks you should be left to figure it out in your own time."

"Figure out what?" Kara demanded.

"That you like Lena, dummy," Alex retorted.

Kara frowned. "Of course I like Lena. She's one of my closest friends."

"Seriously?" Alex asked, looking at Kara incredulously.

"What?"

Alex shook her head. "Maggie will have to just get over it," Alex grumbled under her breath. "I don't mean as a friend."

Kara blinked at Alex a few times, trying to process what her sister meant. Alex looked at her expectantly. "Oh!" Kara finally said, realization dawning.

"There it is."

Kara shook her head. "I don't like Lena like that," Kara denied vehemently. Maybe a little too vehemently.

"Really? Because that's sure what it looks like from where I'm sitting."

"We're just friends," Kara maintained. "Really good friends. But only friends."

"Do you think you said, friends, enough times?" Alex asked. "Who are you trying to convince?"

"You. I know what my feelings are." Kara's statement lacked conviction, even to her own ears.

Alex looked at Kara searchingly. "Are you sure about that?"

"Why are you so adamant about this?" Kara questioned defensively.

"Because I think you're fooling yourself," Alex explained gently. "And I think you're setting yourself up for a heartbreak."

Kara wrapped her arms around her torso. "Well, I'm not. I don't feel that way about Lena."

"Okay," Alex relented, holding up her hands in surrender. "If you're sure, I'll let it go."

"Thank you," Kara said quietly.

Alex wasn't entirely off base. Kara knew that her feelings for Lena likely extended beyond simple friendship. However, it was a possibility that Kara wasn't prepared to explore. She had just gotten Lena back in her life on a regular basis, and she didn't want to do anything that may jeopardize that.

Kara had always struggled to navigate human romantic relationships. While Kryptonians were capable of feeling love and attraction, it was not the cornerstone on which their relationships were built. While Daxam had gone down the path of hedonism and physical pleasure, Krypton had valued compatibility and stability. Kryptonians were encouraged to seek someone that would complement them, in temperament, skills, and ambition.

Humans were an odd mix of the two. Neither as pragmatic as the Kryptonians, nor as sybaritic as the Daxamites. Finding someone whom she was both physically and emotionally compatible with seemed a hopeless pursuit.

With James, the emotional compatibility hadn't been an issue, and she had been confident the physical would follow. Only it hadn't. With Mon-el, the physical attraction hadn't been a problem, but she had struggled to find a shared sense of values and goals. She had hoped that with time they would find a common ground, but that relationship had ended before she could know for sure.

The connection Kara felt to Lena wasn't in doubt. No matter how much time they spent together, Kara always felt that it wasn't quite enough. She could spend hours talking to Lena, and never get bored. Though she often doubted herself, Kara knew that Lena shared her same desire to help people. To help make the world a better place.

Kara also suspected the physical connection wouldn't be a problem. She had found herself on more than a few occasions daydreaming about her friend before catching herself and shifting her thoughts to a safer place. However, if she was wrong like she had been with James, she risked opening a breach between her and Lena. Lena meant too much to her to risk it.

Assuming that Lena was even interested in her that way in the first place. Kara had seen nothing to indicate that Lena felt anything beyond friendship for her.

It was better, safer, to just let it go.

* * *

"What do you want, Mother?" Lena demanded, glaring at Lillian.

"Not even a hello? Where are your manners? I raised you better than that," Lillian scolded, walking toward where Lena stood holding Ali.

Lena fought her natural instinct to retreat. To take Ali, and flee the room. Something about the way Lillian was eyeing the baby sent Lena's nerves jangling in alarm.

"You didn't raise me at all," Lena retorted.

"Semantics," Lillian said dismissively. Her gaze sharpened on Ali. "I see the tabloids were actually accurate for once. Will wonders never cease. Who is she?" Lillian demanded.

"None of your concern," Lena answered, tightening her hold on Ali. Ali didn't appreciate the added pressure and protested by letting out an unhappy cry. Lillian frowned in distaste. Lena loosened her grasp, and bounced the baby gently, shushing her quietly and kissing her softly on the head.

"Don't be rude, Lena," Lillian commanded sharply. "Speculation is running wild about who the mystery child spotted with Lena Luthor is. Some of it has been rather unsettling. I decided I would come and find out the truth for myself."

"Since when do you pay attention to tabloid speculation?" Lena asked. Her mother rarely paid attention to gossip. She considered it beneath her concern. Something to distract and entertain the illiterate masses.

"Since it involves my daughter suddenly arriving everywhere with a child in tow. A child that appeared out of nowhere a little over a month ago. A child that bears a striking resemblance, even though that should be impossible. I was concerned."

Lena barked out a short laugh. "That would be a first."

"Who is she, Lena?" When Lena refused to answer, Lillian looked at Ali pointedly. "Or maybe I should be asking, what is she?"

Lena looked at her mother sharply. There was a knowledge in her eyes that sent a cold chill racing down her spine. Her mother may suspect that Ali was something more than human, but Lena wasn't about to confirm it for her.

"She's a baby," Lena quipped sarcastically. "I know you were never the most maternal, but I thought even you would recognize one."

"Don't be flippant, Lena. You know what I'm asking."

"And I'll repeat what I said before. It's none of your concern."

Lillian narrowed her eyes. "You're being evasive."

"I'm being honest. I haven't seen or heard from you in months, not that I'm complaining mind you, and now you pop up out of nowhere I'm supposed to fall over myself answering questions that are none of your business?"

"Anything concerning the Luthor name is my business." Lillian paused, looking at her hands thoughtfully before flicking her gaze back to Lena. "Agent Henshaw learned some fascinating things about the Daxamites when he interfaced with their ship," Lillian revealed, an apparent non-sequitur. However, Lena suspected she knew exactly where this was going. "It's taken us longer than I would have liked to decode some of the data. Luckily, Agent Danvers is a brilliant man. Difficult, but brilliant. Did you know they have some truly fascinating reproductive technology?"

Lena remained silent.

Lillian shifted her gaze to Ali briefly before looking at Lena with a knowing, predatory smile. "I suspect you do."

"Not that this hasn't been riveting, as always, but I have an important meeting in a few minutes so if you could get to the point, and leave, it would be greatly appreciated," Lena said, feigning indifference. In reality, her heart was racing, and she could feel a bead of sweat trickle down between her shoulder blades. If Lillian suspected Ali was an alien, there was no telling what she would do with the information.

"How's her health?" Lillian asked. "Any allergies?"

Lena's patience snapped at the thinly veiled threat. Stepping toward her desk, she reached underneath and hit the panic button that would summon security. She probably should have done it the moment that Lillian arrived, but Lena had wanted to know what her mother was after. Her curiosity had been satisfied. If she knew Jess, and she did, Lena suspected security had already been alerted and was just waiting for the signal from Lena.

"Sorry to cut this reunion short, but I believe that's your cue," Lena said with fake sweetness.

"Have it your way," Lillian replied. "This isn't over though. I will get the truth, Lena."

Lillian gave Ali one more searching look, before turning and striding out the door. Lena let out a shaky, relieved sigh. Lena had no doubt her mother would be able to evade security and exit the building. The woman was as slippery as an eel.

Lena only had a few moments to collect herself, before the door was swinging open to admit an apologetic Jess.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Luthor. I tried to stop her, but she just barreled past me."

"It's fine, Jess," Lena assured her assistant. "I, of all people, know how difficult my mother can be to stop when she has her mind set on something." Which is exactly what so concerned Lena about her interest in Ali.

"I had security waiting, but she managed to just miss them. They're searching the building now. I don't know she got past them in the first place," Jess complied, looking quite put out.

Lena gave a genuine laugh. "Don't be too hard on them, Jess. My mother has a knack for evading detection."

"Are you okay? Do you want me to call Ms. Danvers?" Jess asked, concerned. If Lena was a little embarrassed that her reliance on Kara for emotional support was transparent, she tried her best to hide it.

Lena drew in a breath. She had a couple of options. She could say yes, and have Jess contact Kara. Lena knew it would make her feel better instantly. Or she could say no, and deal with this herself.

"That won't be necessary, Jess," Lena replied. Lena walked over to Jess. "If you're sure you don't mind, you can take this one off my hands. The meeting with the Metropolis office is in a few minutes, and my mother's untimely arrival prevented me from preparing."

"Of course not, Ms. Luthor." Holding out her hands, Jess accepted the baby with a smile. Jess knew about the baby's origins. If Lena couldn't trust Jess, she couldn't trust anyone. "Hey kiddo, want to help me for a little while?" Ali smiled and waved her arms excitedly.

"I promise I will try to keep it brief," Lena said.

"Don't rush on my account. I love spending time with this cutie."

Lena watched them go, determinedly pushing down the feeling of worry in the pit of her stomach. After Lillian's visit, the urge to keep Ali as close as possible was strong. She didn't like letting the baby out of her sight.

As much as Lena wanted to call Kara, to absorb the comfort she knew the other woman's mere presence would provide, she was determined to deal with this herself. Her mother was her problem, and she would deal with her without involving Kara and risk exposing her to Lillian.

* * *

"There's my girl!" Kara exclaimed happily, plucking Ali out of Lena's arms. "Sorry I missed dinner. There was a containment breach at the DEO holding facility, and they needed my help rounding up a few strays."

Kara nuzzled into the baby's neck, causing Ali to giggle and try to squirm away.

"Don't worry about it," Lena said, dismissing the apology. "It's not anything that won't keep. Everything go okay?"

Kara paused in her cuddling with Ali to look at Lena. "Are you okay? Did something happen?" Kara wasn't sure why, but something about Lena's voice seemed...off. Strained somehow. Like she was worried about something.

"I'm fine. Everything's fine," Lena replied with a forced smile. Kara frowned, now convinced more than ever that Lena wasn't telling the truth. "It's nothing," Lena insisted. "Other than the clean-up, how did your day go?"

Kara decided to let it go for now but vowed that she wasn't going to let Lena evade her forever. Something had happened today to upset her, and Kara was determined to find out what it was.

"Nothing too exciting. I trained with Alex for a bit this morning and then headed over to CatCo to work on my article about water pollution in the bay."

"How's that going?"

"Pretty good. I think I'll have it ready to publish by next week. Snapper willing. Oh! I almost forgot. I talked to J'onn today."

Lena looked at Kara curiously. "About what exactly?"

"About skimming Koran's mind, to make sure she's trustworthy, and if she's not, wiping the memory from her mind," Kara stated matter of factly. If she was expecting Lena to be happy about this revelation, she was sadly mistaken.

"You can't do that to her!" Lena protested hotly. "That's a violation of her privacy."

Kara frowned. "We need to make sure that she isn't a threat to Ali."

"Not by invading her mind without her consent we don't," Lena argued with a frown. Lena paused, eyes narrowing. "Wait. Did he do that with me?" Lena asked, incensed.

Kara shifted guiltily under Lena's gaze. "Oh, um...I mean he...It's standard DEO procedure," Kara defended weakly.

Lena looked at her, expression hurt. "You didn't trust me," she said sadly.

"Of course I trusted you," Kara cried, distressed. Wanting to give Lena her full attention Kara bent down and placed Ali on her playmat, handing her a few toys to keep her occupied.

Kara reached for Lena's hand, hurt when the other woman jerked away and wrapped her arms protectively around herself.

"Lena, it wasn't my decision," Kara explained softly. "It really is DEO policy to scan everyone. That's why J'onn is responsible for conducting all interviews before someone is placed with us." Kara shook her head. "Last year, we had a breach, and it almost ended...badly."

"Since then, J'onn has insisted everyone gets scanned."

"You couldn't have told me first? Given me a chance to decline to work with you if I wasn't okay with that kind of invasion?" Lena demanded, her posture still defensive.

"I...It wasn't...I'm sorry," Kara said sadly.

"I won't allow him to do that without her consent," Lena stated after a brief pause. "If she declines, that's the end of it."

"If you aren't comfortable with the idea, we don't have to do it at all," Kara replied. "I was only thinking about keeping Ali safe. I'm sorry if I overstepped."

"No, it's not a bad idea," Lena conceded reluctantly. "I just won't do it without her knowledge. If she declines, I'll just have to decide how I want to proceed."

"That sounds fair," Kara hurriedly agreed. She was eager to dispel the tension that had developed between the two of them. She almost never fought with Lena. The only other time she could remember was when she had first told her about Ali. It wasn't a memory she wanted to relive.

"I'm sorry if I jumped down your throat," Lena apologized, rubbing wearily at the bridge of her nose. "Today left me a bit out of sorts."

"So something did happen," Kara said.

"Just a meeting with the Metropolis office. They're always a test of my diplomacy and resolve." Kara looked at Lena searchingly, still sensing there was something more to her mood. Lena smiled. "How about we get you fed, and then get this one put down for the night? I was hoping we could finally start watching Grace and Frankie.

Kara nodded, and smiled in return, letting Lena deflect. For now.

* * *

Lena sat curled up on the couch, snuggled comfortably under a fleece blanket, silently at war with herself. After putting Ali to bed, she and Kara had settled onto the couch to watch TV. It was a habit the two had developed. Provided neither was pulled away by work, which happened more often than Lena liked.

Tonight, she had been unable to focus on what was happening on screen, her mind racing. She had been debating all night whether or not to tell Kara the truth about her mother's visit. When she had resolved this morning to deal with it herself, she hadn't realized how heavily the decision would weigh on her mind. Technically, she didn't owe Kara an explanation. While Kara's help had been invaluable, Ali was ultimately Lena's responsibility.

Lena still hadn't been able to accept the title of mother. Every time her mind strayed into that territory, an image of Lillian would pop up, and send her running. Lena still didn't know what being a mother meant.

Even while the reasoning for not telling Kara was sound, Lena couldn't shake the feeling that she was lying to her friend. A feeling of guilt had plagued her all evening, and no matter how many times she rationalized it in her mind, she couldn't shake it.

Lena knew Kara suspected something. So far, she hadn't pushed, but every once in awhile, Lena would catch the blonde looking at her with a faint frown.

Lena was biting absently on her thumbnail, something she never did, when she felt Kara cover her hand with her own, and lower them to Lena's lap. Using the remote, Kara stopped the show, and turned toward Lena, scooting forward until her legs bumped against Lena's.

"Will you please just tell me what's been bothering you all night?" Kara squeezed her hand, and Lena let out a sigh. Confronted with Kara's pleading, compassionate gaze, Lena felt her resolve to do this alone crumble.

"My mother came by to see me today," Lena finally admitted.

"What!" Kara yelped loudly, jumping to her feet. The move dislodged the blanket the two had been sharing, and Lena shivered as a rush of air blew across her skin.

"Shhh," she admonished. "You'll wake up Ali." Grabbing Kara's hand, Lena pulled her back down beside her on the couch. Reaching down, she retrieved the blanket from the floor and spread it back out over both of them.

"Your mother came to your office today, and you're only telling me this now?" Kara hissed quietly. "Why didn't you call me?" The hurt in Kara's voice was easy to detect.

"It wasn't that big a deal," Lena explained. "Mother was just being her usual self, and dropping in to cause a stir."

After the initial shock of the visit had faded, Lena realized she may have overreacted to her mother's visit. While Lillian certainly couldn't be trusted, she had seemed more like she was on a fishing expedition than anything.

Kara seemed to relax marginally and sank back into the sofa. "What did she want?"

"She was curious about Ali. About who she was, and what her connection to me was," Lena admitted reluctantly.

Kara sprang to her feet. "I need to call Alex. We need to see if the DEO has any hints of where she may be holed up," Kara insisted, pacing back and forth in agitation.

"Kara, Kara, calm down. This is mother's modus operandi. Slink out of the shadows, make a few veiled threats, and then disappear again, leaving everyone to twist and worry in her absence."

"She threatened you?" Kara demanded sharply, stopping her pacing to stare at Lena.

"Not in so many words."

Kara stalked back over to the couch, and sat down beside Lena, looking at her intently. "What words did she use? Exactly," Kara demanded.

"She implied that she knew about Daxamite reproductive technology." Lena hesitated, knowing this next piece of information was going to set Kara off again. "And then she asked if Ali had any allergies."

"She said what?" Kara asked, her voice cold and threatening.

"My mother likes to talk and threaten, I doubt she will actually do anything." Lena wasn't sure who she was trying to convince; herself or Kara.

Kara looked at her incredulously. "Are you forgetting the times that she almost killed you?"

"Those were accidents," Lena defended weakly. "She also came to save me when Rhea kidnapped me."

"Yes, and left me behind to die," Kara said flatly. Kara folded her arms and looked at Lena seriously. "I know you have a complicated relationship with your mother, but you need to take this threat seriously. I don't trust her." Kara paused, seemingly lost in thought, and shuddered. "You don't know what she is capable of."

Lena laughed bitterly. "I think I may have a better idea of that than anyone." Lena reached over and covered Kara's hand, drawing the blonde's gaze back to her. "I promise I will stay on alert. I won't let her get within fifty feet of Ali."

Lena didn't share Kara's conviction that her mother posed an imminent threat, but that didn't mean she was going to keep an eye out just the same.

"I still want to tell Alex. So she can keep her eyes open."

"Of course," Lena agreed. "It's nothing to worry about, Kara, I promise. I have been dealing with my mother for years. She loves to engage in psychological warfare, but she doesn't like to get her hands dirty."

Kara looked at Lena, her expression conveying her doubt. "I hope you're right."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright. Sorry if some of this was a bit hamfisted, but I needed to move it along a bit since there are only about 6 chapters left.


	14. All Good Things

"I can't tell you how much I appreciate this," Lena said sincerely, looking down at the list of names that Koran had provided.

For all Lena's worry about invading the other woman's privacy, Koran had been surprisingly nonchalant about the request. Apparently aliens with psychic abilities were not a rarity. If anything, she had been grateful for Lena's honesty, even if she thought it was a tactical error. Koran had lectured her on not giving up the element of surprise in the future.

"It is a small repayment for all that you are doing for us," Koran replied dismissively. "I made sure to give you only the most qualified and trustworthy, but if for some reason none meet with your approval, let me know, and I will provide you with new candidates."

"I'm sure that won't be necessary." Lena smiled at the woman. "I'll want to arrange meetings so Kara and I can meet with each of them, of course, but I'm sure one of them will be suitable. I trust your judgement."

"I do not think that Kara Danvers shares your opinion."

"Kara doesn't know you very well," Lena hedged.

"Yet she does not like me," Koran stated matter of factly. If she was at all bothered by this fact, Lena couldn't tell it from her placid expression.

"Kara's just very protective," Lena offered by way of explanation.

The woman looked at Lena with a quiet intensity that made her shift in her seat. "May I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course," Lena answered after a brief hesitation. Talking about herself wasn't something she was used to, or comfortable with. "I'd like to think we are on the way to becoming friends. Ask away."

"Kara Danvers is obviously very important to you." Lena nodded her head, even though she took the question to be rhetorical. Given how often Lena was sure she had mentioned Kara to Koran in the course of their work, it was hardly a stretch to conclude Kara meant a lot to her. "But you are not mated?" Koran asked bluntly.

Lena's eyes widened in alarm. Had she misread the situation with Koran entirely? While she admired Koran, and was looking forward to building a friendship, she didn't harbor any romantic feelings for the woman.

"Uh, no, no I'm not. We're not," Lena stuttered out.

Koran nodded, satisfied. "That explains her hostility. The courtship can be a volatile time. Once she has cemented her claim she will settle. I only hope that it does not cause problems."

"There's no courtship," Lena blurted, flustered. "We're just friends."

For the first time since meeting her, Koran looked shocked. "Truly?" Lena nodded. Koran shook her head. "Humans are a strange species. I apologize if I have offended you. I meant no disrespect. I simply wished to clarify. Courtships can be an unpredictable time, emotions run high until the mating bond is completed. Given Kara Danvers attachment to you, and the child, I was concerned her possessiveness may prove difficult in securing a caretaker. However, if, as you say, you are just friends, it should not be a problem."

Koran seemed satisfied with her conclusion, but Lena wasn't as confident. Lena didn't think Kara would sabotage her attempt to hire a nanny, but her enthusiasm at the prospect had always been somewhat lacking. Lena was curious about one thing though.

"What made you think Kara and I were...courting," Lena stumbled over the antiquated term.

"It is obvious," Koran said, surprised. "Her posturing when we met had all the signs of one either newly mated, and still insecure in their bond, or one still in the process of securing their preferred mate. Obviously it is different with humans."

"Obviously," Lena said thoughtfully, her mind wandering to possibilities she had long since closed the door on. Was it possible that Kara had been jealous? Or had she just let her protective streak where Ali was concerned get the better of her? Lena wasn't sure, but she couldn't deny the small flutter of hope she felt spring to life in her chest.

* * *

"What did you find out," Kara demanded.

Alex didn't even glance up from her work station. "It's been thirty minutes," Alex answered.

"And?"

"And these things take time."

"We may not have time," Kara complained. She spun on her heel, cape twirling out in a billow behind her, and started to pace. "There is no telling what Lillian may be up to. The sooner we can find out where she is, and what she's doing, the better. We never should have let her just slip away after the invasion." Kara smacked her fist into her palm. "What were we thinking? We should have made it a priority to capture her. She attempted a mass genocide!"

"It is a priority. Just like rebuilding a city in ruins is a priority," Alex reminded her sister. "For better or worse, CADMUS has been mostly quiet since the attack. The reality, is that moves her down the list. We'll get her, Kara. It may just take a little time."

"Why am I the only one taking this seriously?" Kara complained.

Alex stopped working and spun in her chair to look at Kara. "We are taking it seriously. Do you think we don't want to find where CADMUS is hiding out? Do you think that I'm not desperate to find out what happened to Dad? I promise you that we are taking this seriously, Kara."

"I'm sorry," Kara said, walking over and placing a hand on Alex's shoulder and squeezing it in apology. "I know you're doing everything you can." Kara blew out a frustrated breath. "It's just nerve wracking knowing that she is out there, and that she now has Ali on her radar."

Kara shook her head. "Lena thinks she understands what her mother is capable of, but she doesn't, Alex. She didn't see the lengths Lillian is willing to go to when she wants something badly enough."

Kara's mind flashed back to when Lillian held her and Mon-El in cages. How she shot Mon-el without flinching, not an iota of remorse for the pain she was causing. There was something she wanted, and she didn't care who was hurt in the process. Kara didn't know what Lillian may want with Ali, but whatever it was, it was important enough to draw her out of hiding. That worried Kara.

"We will find her," Alex promised. "Besides, between you, me, and Maggie, do you really think we will let anything happen to the kid? We'll keep her safe, Kara."

Kara nodded. "Keep me posted?"

"You'll be the first to know."

* * *

Kara sat on the sofa in Lena's office, holding Ali on her lap. Kara's nerves were still on edge, as despite their best efforts, Lillian had remained elusive. To compound matters, Lena was determined to go ahead with the hiring of a nanny, insisting that she couldn't put her life on hold for some formless threat that may never materialize.

The only thing that gave Kara even the barest peace of mind, was that all of Lena's nanny candidates had been screened by J'onn. That didn't mean they couldn't have figured out some way to deceive him, but it did cut down on the odds of them secretly being out to cause Ali or Lena harm.

"So, what do you think? Any preferences?" Lena asked, entering the office and closing the door. They had just finished the third and final interview, and Lena had walked the woman to the elevator.

Kara shrugged, letting Ali play with her fingers. "They all seemed fine," she responded unenthusiastically.

Lena sighed, and joined Kara and Ali on the sofa. "Kara, I know you're not the biggest fan of this idea, but I can't continue to put my life on hold. Especially not because of my mother. She is likely to lurk in the shadows for years. She's extremely adept at it."

"I know," Kara admitted reluctantly. "Maybe I could take a leave of absence?" she suggested a little desperately. "Just for a few months. Then, if Lillian doesn't make any moves, we can-"

"Kara," Lena cut her off gently. "We've talked about this. You don't have to like it, but I've made my decision." Kara dipped her head, shoulders slumped. Lena reached over and placed a hand on her knee, drawing Kara's gaze to hers. "I would like your input though. There is no one's opinion I trust more when it comes to Ali."

Kara blew out a breath. "I'm sorry I've been so difficult about this. I don't mean to be." Kara hugged the baby tighter to her chest. "I just can't help but worry. It's hard to think about turning her over to someone else while all this is happening."

"I understand that, Kara. I do," Lena said earnestly. "But if I put my life on hold every time my mother made vaguely threatening comments to me, I wouldn't get anything done. Or leave my apartment. I won't live like that.

I know you think I'm taking this lightly, but I'm not. Ali will be well protected, and anytime you, or I, aren't with her, she will have constant security. If anything, keeping her at the apartment will probably be safer. Much less opportunity for one of my mother's many henchman to make a move.

I won't let anything happen to her," Lena promised.

"I know you won't." Kara shook her head. "I'm being silly." Kara collected her thoughts. "I really liked the second woman, Amaeri. She's Haldorian so her enhanced strength will come in handy, and Ali really seemed to like her purple hair."

Lena smiled, nodding slightly. "I liked her as well. Koran spoke very highly of her. Before coming to Earth, she also served in her people's defense force, so those skills could also come in handy."

Kara frowned slightly at the mention of Koran. She still wasn't as much a fan of the woman as Lena. However, Kara couldn't fault her candidates for the job. All had been skilled, competent, and any one of them would have made good caretakers for Ali. Kara grudgingly conceded that Lena may be right about her after all.

"Do we have a nanny?" Kara asked, part of her dreading the answer, but knowing what was likely coming.

Lena nodded. "I think we do."

* * *

"You'll call if anything comes up? Anything at all? I can be here in under ten minutes."

"Kara, leave the poor woman alone. She assured us she would call if needed," Lena scolded, grabbing Kara's arm and trying to drag her out the door. Kara refused to budge. Lena had been trying unsuccessfully for the last ten minutes to get Kara to leave the apartment.

It was the first day they would be leaving Ali alone with someone who, frankly, was a complete stranger. Kara crossed her arms, refusing to budge until the got the answer she was looking for.

Amaeri nodded. "I promise I will call. Do not worry, I will take care of your young one. It can be hard to leave them for the first time." Amaeri smiled fondly at Ali and tickled her lightly under the chin. Kara tried her best not to feel betrayed when Ali gave her a laugh in return.

"You have my cell number? And my office?" Kara dug into her pocket, looking for her notepad. "You know what, let me give you my sister's number as well. Sometimes work can get a little...hectic, and she's the only one that can get in touch with me. Oh, I should give you Maggie's too, just in case."

Lena snatched the pad out of her hand before Kara had a chance to scribble Alex's number, and shoved it into her purse, safely out of Kara's reach. "I apologize for her," Lena said to Amaeri. "We're going. You have my number if you need it. Which I'm sure you won't, because everything will be  _fine,"_ Lena told Kara.

Kara started to protest, but Lena looked at her pointedly. "Say good-bye to Ali, and let's go. We're going to be late."

Kara pouted, but obeyed Lena's instruction. She knew she was probably being a little bit dramatic, but just a tad. Kara leaned forward, and kissed Ali on the cheek, barely resisting the urge to grab her out of Amaeri's arms and declare that she would stay home with her for the day.

Lena seemed to read her thoughts, and grabbed Kara's hand firmly, pulling Kara out the door before she could act on her impulse. Releasing her hand, Lena pushed her down the hallway toward the elevator, making sure she was safely clear of the doorway before turning back to say her own goodbye to Ali.

Once the door was closed, Lena turned to look at Kara with a raised eyebrow.

"I was just being thorough," Kara defended herself immediately.

"Right. If I had let you, you probably would have tried to give her Eliza's fax number, just in case cell service was mysteriously down."

"I didn't even think to give her Eliza's number!" Kara cried, alarmed at her oversight. She started back toward the apartment door, but was stopped by Lena placing a hand firmly on her chest.

"She'll be  _fine_ ," Lena stressed. "Amaeri has both of our numbers, cell, and office. If anything comes up, she'll call us." Lena nodded her head towards the suit clad man standing impassively by the elevator. "Besides, they would have to get past Shaun first, and he takes his job very seriously."

Kara didn't doubt it. When she had scanned him earlier, she had located no less than three guns, four knives, and two flashbangs. Even Alex would have been impressed.

"I know. I'm sorry, I know I'm being ridiculous. I just can't help but worry," Kara apologized.

"You're not being ridiculous. You're concerned. I think it's sweet," Lena said with a soft smile. Lena looped her arm through Kara's and started walking toward the elevator. "However, just because I think it's sweet, doesn't mean that gives you permission to stop by the apartment in an hour because you 'forgot' something you need for work."

Kara looked at Lena, her expression a perfect mask of perfect innocence. "I wouldn't do that!"

"Uh, huh," Lena said, obviously not buying it. "What was it going to be? Your laptop?"

"My favorite pen," Kara grumbled, feeling exposed.

"A pen? Really, Kara?" Lena shook her head in disbelief. Arriving at the elevator, Lena gave a silent nod to Shaun, and boarded the car, hitting the button for the lobby. The doors slid shut, cocooning them in privacy.

"Eliza gave it to me my first Christmas on Earth. It's very special to me," Kara insisted, crossing her arms. Kara tipped her glasses down, and looked casually toward the penthouse.

"Nevertheless, if you really did leave it behind, you'll have to manage without it today." Lena reached over and pushed Kara's glasses up her nose. "Also, there will be no flybys, or scanning, or eavesdropping with super hearing."

"Lena! You can't ask that," Kara protested.

"I can, and I am," Lena replied calmly. "Ali will be fine."

"Three flybys," Kara bargained.

Lena laughed, shaking her head. "One."

"But-"

"One," Lena repeated firmly. "You have two other jobs that require your attention. Let Amaeri, and Shaun, and building security, do theirs."

Kara huffed. "Fine. But I also get to listen in once an hour. It will give me peace of mind, and allow me to focus better on work."

Lena looked at her consideringly, before nodding her head. "Deal."

* * *

If Lena recognized that what she was about to do was perhaps more than a little hypocritical, she didn't let that stop her. Luthors were known for bending the rules when it suited them. Launching her secure VPN she quickly typed in the access codes, and waited impatiently for it to connect. In moments she was calmed by the sight of Ali, curled up on her stomach, and sleeping peacefully.

Lena let out a sigh of relief she hadn't been aware of holding. She had scolded Kara for worrying, but she would be lying if a shadow of anxiety hadn't been lurking in her own mind as well. She wasn't quite as unconcerned about her mother was as she wanted Kara to believe.

Lena didn't believe that her mother would make a move against Ali directly. It really wasn't her style. In the past, when she had abducted Lena, she had a distinct end goal. Access to Lex's vaults. The whole balcony incident had been more an accident than anything. Lillian's goal has been to keep her plan secret, not harm Lena. Even if Lillian suspected that Ali was her biological child, Lena could see no reason for her mother to want her.

Lena traced her finger lightly over the image on the screen.

If she were being completely honest, it wasn't just worry about her mother that had her wanting to check in on Ali. Lena had never considered herself particularly maternal, still didn't in fact, but she couldn't deny that part of her simply missed having Ali around.

More than once over the course of the morning Lena had found her mind wandering to Ali. How she was adapting to being left with a new person. Did she miss Lena at all, or was one person the same as any other? People spoke of the bond between mother and child, but Lena had no idea how to gauge such a thing, having never experienced it herself.

Allowing herself another few moments to indulge, Lena hesitated over the disconnect button, before choosing to minimize the window instead. What Kara didn't know, wouldn't hurt her.

* * *

"Kara, I think we need to talk."

Kara froze, stopping mid chew. Never, in the history of the universe, had that statement ever preceded anything good. Kara suspected she knew what was coming; had been dreading it for weeks.

It had been two weeks since Amaeri started watching Ali. Two weeks without so much as a peep from Lillian. Two weeks of relative calm and peace. Having full-time help with Ali had allowed Lena to catch up at work, and create a much needed sense of balance. The routine they had established and changed, but it was also more settled.

Barring Supergirl emergencies, both Lena and Kara were typically able to be home at a decent hour, and spend a few hours with Ali before she had to go to bed. The addition of solid food had helped sate her hunger, and she was getting closer and closer to sleeping through the night.

Kara was sure she was just days away from finally crawling.

Kara swallowed the bite of food that had lodged itself in her suddenly tight throat.

"Talk?" she asked Lena nervously.

"It's not bad," Lena assured her with a smile. Kara managed a weak smile in return. Somehow she doubted that. Lena dropped her eyes to her plate, the pair were sharing a late dinner, and fiddled absently with her fork.

"Things with Amaeri are working out pretty well aren't they?" Lena asked, confirming Kara's worst fears.

Kara cleared her throat. "Yeah, um, sure. She's been great. Ali seems to really like her."

Lena licked her lips. "She does. Everything else has been quiet too." Everything else, being code for Lillian. Kara hadn't dropped her vigilance, but Lena's elusive mother hadn't shown so much as a pinky finger in public. Lena took no news as good news, but Kara was less reassured. Was Lillian truly uninterested, or was she waiting in the shadows, biding her time for the perfect moment to make her move? Kara wasn't sure, but she prefered to err on the side of caution.

"It has," Kara confirmed, nodding her head. "And you've been able to catch up at work. Things are running smoothly. We've really found our rhythm," Kara joked. Maybe if she could convince Lena things were going perfectly, she wouldn't feel compelled to change them.

"We have," Lena agreed. "I can't tell you how much your help has meant to me. I quite literally, wouldn't have been able to do any of this without you." Kara smiled, though she sensed a "but" was coming.

"However-" Close enough. "- I feel like I am finally in a place where I think I can handle this without your help." Kara knew she had failed to hide her hurt when Lena rushed to explain. "That didn't come out right! I'm not kicking you out, I'm..You've been such a huge help, and I know you've put your life on hold over the last few months, and I just don't want to impose on you any longer. This was always supposed to be just until I got my bearings, and now I feel like I'm just being selfish, and taking advantage, by keeping you here longer."

"I don't mind. I adore Ali, and don't resent even one moment I spend taking care of her," Kara said honestly.

"I know that," Lena assured Kara. "You are one of the most selfless people I've ever met. Which is why I know if I don't force this, you will continue to put your life on hold to help me with her. That's not fair to you."

Kara wanted to argue. To explain to Lena that she wasn't being selfless at all. Spending time with Ali, and Lena, was not an act of self sacrifice for Kara. If anything, she felt like she was getting more out of the arrangement than she was putting in. Kara didn't feel like her life was being put on hold at all. Just the opposite. For the first time since coming to Earth, her life finally felt complete. She felt like she was part of a family again.

It wasn't that the Danvers hadn't tried to make her feel included. They had. However, the fact that she was an alien, that she wasn't human, had colored everything. Her powers, and keeping them hidden, had been at the core of their family dynamic. Even with Alex, it was a constant element of their relationship. With Lena, and Ali, she felt like she could just be herself. Lena would mention it, but usually in asking how her day was. It wasn't central to their dynamic.

How could she explain that to Lena? Like Lena had said; this arrangement was always meant to be temporary. As much as Kara felt at home with them, they had never been hers to claim.

"Is this weekend okay?" Kara asked, her voice a little watery. She refused to cry about this. At least not in front of Lena.

Lena nodded. "There's no rush," Lena promised with a smile. "I'm honestly not kicking you out."

"I know," Kara responded, and she did. She didn't sense any impatience to be rid of her on Lena's part. It was the one small bright spot. Kara poked lethargically at the food still on her plate. Her appetite had evaporated. Kara pushed the plate away. "I'm actually not feeling that well. I think I'm going to call it a night."

Lena looked at her in concern. "Are you sure? It's barely after 8. Do you want me to call Alex?"

Kara shook her head, warmed by Lena's concern, even as she felt the need for some time alone. "It's nothing serious. Just tired," Kara explained, with a wan smile. "Thank you for dinner, it was great." If Kara's nearly full plate belied that statement, Lena was too polite to point it out.

Lena continued to look at her, obviously worried, as Kara made her exit. Kara felt badly about leaving so abruptly, but she wasn't sure how long she was going to be able to hold herself together. Her emotions felt dangerously close to the surface, and she need a little time to gather herself. She didn't want to make Lena feel guilty if she broke down in front of her. It wasn't Lena's fault. It was Kara's. Alex had warned her, but she had let herself forget this wasn't for forever.

* * *

"Thanks for covering for me," Kara told Amaeri gratefully. Kara dropped her armload of supplies on the tarp she had spread over Ali's nursery floor.

"Of course," Amaeri said with a smile. She stood in the doorway holding Ali securely as she observed Kara. "Ms. Luthor was vexed that her connection was not functioning, but when she called to confirm everything was okay, I believe I put her worry to rest. I do not think she will come home herself to investigate."

Kara knew all about Lena's habit of tapping into the camera feed in Ali's nursery. When Kara had complained about how hard it had been for her to keep her promise not to check in on Ali, Lena had cracked under the guilt, and spilled the truth. While Kara had been slightly annoyed, it had worked out for her in the end, since Lena had conceded that one or two check-ins, if she happened to be in the area, wouldn't be too out of line.

However, Lena's habit of checking in was a serious wrinkle in Kara's current surprise. Today being Friday, she only had this afternoon to get her task accomplished before she moved back to her apartment tomorrow. Kara had been doing her best to put that looming deadline out of her mind, but it was racing up on her faster than Barry Allen. Unable to avoid the reality any longer, Kara had to come up a plan.

That plan had involved getting Winn to jam Lena's VPN, and getting Amaeri to cover for her so Lena didn't rush home to make sure everything was really okay. Despite her initial reluctance, Kara had to admit the woman was wonderful with Ali, and they had struck up a tentative friendship.

"Thanks again. I moved Ali's crib into my room, because this is probably going to take me most of the day." Even if Amaeri knew about Kara's super speed, which she didn't, it really wouldn't be much help on a project like this. Super speed was great for blunt force, but not so great when fine motor control was needed.

"We will leave you to it," Amaeri said, backing out of the room. Kara surveyed her supplies, trying to figure out where she wanted to start. She had a rough sketch of what she wanted the mural to look like, but she never drew up to details of a plan when she painted, preferring to just go where the paint led her. However, she also didn't usually paint under a time constraint.

Kara had just popped the lid off the last of her paint cans when her phone started vibrating in her pocket. Digging it out, she smiled reflexively when she saw Lena's name and number on the screen.

"Hey, what's up?" Kara asked. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah. At least, I think so." Lena sounded agitated. "I tried to log into the nursery cameras, since it's almost time for Ali's nap, but the VPN wouldn't connect. I called Amaeri, and she assures me that everything is fine. I was just wondering, if you had time, and didn't mind, if you could swing by the apartment just to make sure?"

Before Kara could say yes, Lena continued talking. "It's not that I don't trust her. I do. I wouldn't be able to leave Ali with her if I didn't, but I would feel better if you could confirm that everything is in fact, okay. I really hate to ask this of you, I'm probably just being silly. You know what, never-"

"Lena," Kara interrupted with a laugh. "It looks like I'm moving out not a moment too soon, my habit of rambling seems to be rubbing off on you. To answer your original question, yes, I will be happy to swing by the apartment and make sure everything is really okay."

"You're sure you don't mind?" Lena asked.

"I'm positive. Give me a few minutes, and I will let you know what I find out." Kara ended the call, and put her phone back in her pocket. She could tell Lena was worried, so she felt a tiny bit guilty about making her wait, but Kara didn't want to get back to her suspiciously fast. She had told Lena she was working at CatCo all day. Kara applied a quick coat of primer to the wall where Ali's crib usually was. Once she was finished, she sent Lena a text assuring her that everything was fine, and not to worry.

Kara grinned happily when Lena replied with a heart, and a simple 'You're the best!' Stowing her phone once again, Kara examined the wall critically, hands on hips, and head tilted to the side. Finally making up her mind, she dipped a brush in her tin of red paint, and got to work.

* * *

"Why do my eyes have to be closed?" Lena asked with a laugh, letting Kara lead her down the hallway by the hand. The hand wasn't strictly necessary, but Lena wasn't going to fight Kara on it.

"Because it's a surprise. Obviously. Have you never gotten a surprise before?" Kara joked.

"Not that I can recall, no," Lena answered honestly, earning a shocked gasp from Kara. "At least, not a good one."

"This is definitely a good one," Kara promised.

"Where are we going?" Lena questioned, playing along. Given that they were walking down the hallway, there weren't that many options.

"You'll see in a second," Kara chided. "So impatient."

"It's a character flaw," Lena admitted drolly.

"Okay, here we are," Kara said, drawing Lena to a stop. Lena heard a door click, and then Kara was grabbing her hand again, and drawing her forward. The scent of powder, and that smell that was unique to babies hit Lena's nose. Ali's nursery.

"Open up," Kara instructed, sounding slightly nervous to Lena's ears.

Lena blinked her eyes open, relieved to have use of all her senses once again. It took her a moment to realize what she was seeing, but when it finally registered, she gasped.

"Oh my god, Kara, it's gorgeous." There, spread out on wall in a blaze of brilliant color, was a mural. It was a solar system, but not one with which Lena was familiar. The large red star that anchored one corner of the image could only be Rao. Over the last few weeks, Lena had slowly been asking Kara questions about her home world. She was curious, but hadn't wanted to press Kara, or make her uncomfortable.

From Rao, flowed a number of planets, the two largest almost certainly Krypton and Daxam. The galactic scene blended almost seamlessly into a landscape. Soaring architecture, the likes of which Lena had never seen, and animals that looked both vaguely familiar, yet unquestionably alien.

"You're not mad?" Kara worried. Lena tore her eyes away from the mural to look at Kara in disbelief.

"Why on earth would I be mad? It's amazing," Lena gestured toward the wall. "Isn't it," Lena asked Ali, who Kara was holding in one arm. Ali let out a loud shriek, and kicked her legs enthusiastically. "See, Ali thinks so too. It's unanimous."

Kara shrugged. "I did kind of paint a huge wall without asking you first."

Lena waved her hand dismissively. "You know I wanted to liven the nursery up. I just couldn't decide what to do." Lena turned back to the wall, spreading her arms wide. "This. This I never could have imagined." Lena stepped forward, bringing her finger to the wall, hesitating and looking back to Kara for confirmation it was dry before trailing her fingers lightly over the surface.

"I take it this is Rao, and Krypton, and Daxam?" Lena looked over her shoulder again, and saw Kara nod.

"I wanted her to experience a small piece of home, however limited it may be." Kara stepped forward, coming to a stop beside Lena, looking at the mural with a touch of melancholy. "I don't know that much about Daxam. I was only a kid when I left, and most of what I heard...wasn't complimentary. Unfortunately, the data that Mon-el left only included medical information, and nothing on their culture.

The Fortress had a few data entries though, so I was able to reconstruct a little bit of the architecture. The rest is mostly from Krypton, which, I know she doesn't technically have a tie to, but...it was as close as I could get."

Lena grasped Kara's forearm, squeezing it gently. "It's amazing, and I'm sure she'll love it. Just like I'm sure she will love you telling her stories about Rao, and Daxam, and Krypton."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Kara sighed, a sound of relief. "I'm glad you like it," Kara admitted with a grin.

"I love it," Lena corrected.

Lena looked at the wall again, taking in the whole expanse. Lena did love it. It was obvious that Kara had poured her heart and soul into the mural. It wasn't merely a painting, it was a piece of Kara. A piece Lena would cherish always.


	15. Bye, Bye, Baby

"Is that everything?" Lena asked, resting her hand on the doorway to Kara's bedroom.

Kara nodded her head, zipping her last suitcase closed. "Yeah, I think I got it all, but if you find anything, just let me know. Alex and Maggie should be here shortly to help me carry all this stuff out."

"That's fine. You know you're still welcome here anytime," Lena told Kara with a soft smile.

"You may regret telling me that," Kara teased.

"Never," Lena said truthfully. "I'll leave the window open for you."

Kara laughed. "Your windows don't open."

"Don't be so technical."

"Says the woman with an engineering degree."

"Fine," Lena huffed good-naturedly. "I'll leave the balcony door open for you. Is that better?"

Kara nodded her head. "Yes," she replied primly. "We really should put a lock on that before Ali starts crawling. It's going to be any day now."

"You've been saying that for the last few weeks. It hasn't happened yet. She's still too young."

"She's advanced. I'm bound to be right eventually," Kara insisted.

Lena rolled her eyes. "It's clear prescience isn't one of your superpowers. However, your point is taken. I'll contact someone about installing a lock."

A look that Lena had a hard time interpreting flashed across Kara's face, before she nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. "Right." Kara looked around the room, clearly at loose ends. "Well, I guess I should start hauling this stuff out into the hallway." Kara hefted a suitcase in each hand and walked toward the door.

Lena stopped Kara with a hand to the chest. "Kara, I just...I…" Lena stumbled over her words. What she wanted to do, was tell Kara how much she meant to her, and ask her not to go. To stay. For as long as she wanted.

Lena knew she couldn't do that. Kara's bond with Ali was clear for anyone to see, and Lena refused to take advantage of that to serve her own selfish ends. Kara had a life of her own she needed to live, and Lena couldn't continue to take advantage of Kara's love for Ali to keep her around.

"Don't be a stranger?" Lena finally said.

"You'll be begging me to leave," Kara promised with a lopsided smile. "I don't know how I'm going to go whole days without seeing that little munchkin."

"You're always welcome for dinner. Just let me know, so I can cook enough," Lena jibed lightly. Kara hefted her bags again, and Lena moved aside to let Kara pass. "Did you want a hand with anything?" Lena asked, twisting her hands together uselessly.

Kara shook her head. "No, you go relax. I should be able to get everything out into the hallway before Alex gets here. She and Maggie can help me haul it down to the car." Kara smiled. "Alex loves helping me move."

Lena snorted. Lena didn't know the woman well, but she had never met anyone that actually enjoyed moving.

True to her word, Kara had all her bags stacked in the hallway with time to spare. Lena sat on the couch, holding Ali on her lap, and watched Kara conduct a final sweep of the apartment. Ali had been fussy all morning, and Lena wondered if the baby had picked up on the unsettled air that hung over the apartment.

Her check complete, Kara came and sat beside Lena and Ali on the couch. Kara reached out her hand, and Ali immediately latched on.

"I'm going to miss you so much," Kara whispered softly, her voice growing thick. "I'll come visit you all the time," Kara promised softly. "And if you ever need me, for anything, just say the word, and I'll be here in an instant." Kara frowned. "You know, once you start talking."

Lena sat silently, letting Kara have her moment, and blinked back the tears threatening to form in her eyes. She had expected that Kara's departure would be emotional, but she hadn't anticipated Kara looking quite so forlorn. It was breaking Lena's heart, even if she knew this was better for Kara in the long run.

Once Kara was back home, Lena was confident that she would transition back to her old life in no time. Then she could enjoy her role as a doting aunt. Kara had so many responsibilities in her life, that it wouldn't be fair to burden her with another.

"Can I hold her?" Kara asked.

Lena shook herself out of her thoughts. "Of course," she said, handing Ali over to Kara. Kara cuddled the baby against her chest and buried her face in Ali's neck. Ali, sensing Kara's mood, snuggled her face against Kara's neck in return. When Lena heard Kara sniffle, she got up from the couch to give her a moment of privacy.

Lena was relieved when a knock on the door signaled Alex and Maggie's arrival. She wasn't sure how long she was going to be able to stave off her own tears if Kara started crying.

"Hi Alex, Maggie," Lena greeted, subdued.

Alex smiled gently, and peeked past Lena, to see Kara cuddled up on the couch with Ali. "Everyone doing okay?" Alex asked, her concern obvious.

"Holding it together. Barely," Lena admitted softly.

Alex nodded. "About what I figured. Maggie and I already carried all her bags down to the car," Alex said quietly. "We figured she may need a few minutes."

Lena nodded. "She's been doing okay, but I think it's finally hitting her."

"Alex?" Kara called from inside the apartment.

"Hey, Kar," Alex greeted her sister, stepping past Lena. "Maggie and I have everything all loaded, so we're ready when you are. Take your time."

"No, no," Kara said, hurrying over to the door. "I'm ready." Kara reluctantly handed the baby over to Lena. Hands now free, she wiped the evidence of tears from her cheeks. "If I don't do this now, I may never leave."

Alex and Maggie stepped back into the hall and made room for Kara to join them. Lena held the baby tight to her chest, partly to comfort them both, and partly to keep herself from reaching out for Kara and begging her not to go.

Once in the hallway, Kara hesitated, before closing the distance and leaning down to kiss Ali on the cheek one more time. Lena heard a whispered "I love you" and then Kara was turning and fleeing down the hall.

Lena watched her go with a heavy heart.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of her," Maggie promised, hanging back. "And if you need anything, don't hesitate to call one of us."

Lena nodded, clearing her throat. "Thank you."

"We should make a plan to do another game night soon," Maggie said, out of the blue. Maggie laughed. "Don't look so shocked. Between the rugrat and the sweet apartment, you aren't going to be able to get out of hosting. I think we found a new favorite game night spot."

"Sawyer, move your ass!" Alex called impatiently. "I'm not holding this elevator all day."

"Excuse her," Maggie said with a wry smile. "She gets cranky and impatient when she's worried about Kara." Maggie pointed a finger at Lena. "Soon. Give one of us a call."

"I will," Lena promised with a nod.

"You'd better," Maggie threatened lightly.

Lena watched as Maggie walked down the hallway. Her eyes strayed to Kara and Alex, but she looked quickly away when she saw Kara leaning against her sister's side, head resting on Alex's shoulder. Backing into the apartment, she slumped against the closed door.

Ali let out a fretful cry, not understanding all the emotions swirling around, but knowing instinctively they weren't good. Gathering herself, Lena pushed off the door. She didn't have the luxury of falling apart right now. Ali needed her.

"Well, it's just you and me now, kiddo," Lena said. Ali stared back, blinking slowly, gaze locked onto Lena intently. "We're gonna be fine." Lena wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Ali her herself. Maybe it was both.

Lena walked into the living room. Lena had lived alone her entire adult life, but she had never felt this sense of loneliness until now. The apartment seemed oppressively empty, as though all of the life and warmth had left with Kara.

"We're gonna be just fine."

* * *

Kara landed on the balcony with a gentle thud. It was late. One of the reasons she had chosen now for her visit. It had been two days since she had moved back to her apartment, and she had done her best to keep her distance. Convinced it was better not to draw out the separation process.

She had reached her breaking point tonight. Even if it was just a quick peek while she was sleeping, Kara needed to check on Ali, and see her with her own eyes. Kara had known that she would feel the loss of Ali, she just hadn't realized quite how much. It was like a hollow ache in her chest that wouldn't go away.

She had known it would be difficult not to see Ali every day. She hadn't realized how much she would also miss Lena. They had been friends for over a year, and Kara was used to seeing her only once or twice every few weeks. Immediately after the invasion, she had grown accustomed to seeing her even less than that. She didn't like it, but she had adapted. Moving home would just return that relationship to normal, and Kara would be fine.

Only she wasn't. As much as she missed Ali, Kara thought she might actually miss Lena more. She missed getting to start her day with Lena over a cup of coffee. Missed sharing the events of her day, both big and small, with Lena as they ate dinner. Missed cuddling up with Lena on the couch under a shared blanket as they watched the latest show on Netflix. Missed the sleepy grumbles and protests Lena would give when she fell asleep watching TV and Kara would have to wake her to get her to go to bed. Missed Lena scolding her the next day when Kara carried her to bed instead of waking her up.

She missed all of it. Much more than she thought she would. That, more than anything, was why she had stayed away. Kara was afraid that if she had to see Lena and Ali again before she could get used to their absence, she would beg Lena to let her move back in. Which, even Kara could admit, wasn't something that friends would normally do.

Even since moving back, Kara hadn't been able to get her talk with Alex out of her mind. Was she being too cautious? Should she risk disrupting her relationship with Lena and reveal that she may have feelings that ran deeper than friendship? Would Lena even be receptive to such an overture?

Kara didn't know, and she acknowledged that creeping quietly down the hallway, doing her best not to wake anyone, probably wasn't the time or the place to decide. The door to Ali's nursery was ajar. Kara eased it slowly open, just wide enough to allow her to slip inside. The nightlight Lena had installed cast the room in dim shadow, but there was enough light for Kara to make out Ali, her features relaxed in sleep.

Kara crept closer to the crib and rested her hands on the rail. She wanted to reach out, and stroke her hand over the baby fine crop of hair, but she stopped herself. The last thing she wanted to do was wake Ali, or by extension, Lena. She didn't know how she would go about explaining her presence to the other woman. They had exchanged a few texts, but that had been the extent of their contact. Lena probably thought that Kara was relieved to finally have her old life back. If only she knew the truth.

Unable to resist, Kara trailed a fingertip, whisper soft, over Ali's sleep flushed cheek. The baby smacked her lips and turned toward the touch. Kara breathed a sigh of relief when she remained sleeping. Deciding she had pressed her luck enough for the evening, Kara slowly backed away from the crib, not wanting to turn away, desperate to soak in every last moment.

Backing into the hallway, she pulled the door mostly shut behind, wanting to leave no trace of her visit. She turned around and collided with a warm, sleepy, Lena Luthor. Kara reached out, grabbing Lena by the arms to keep her from crashing to the floor.

"Kara?" Lena asked, her voice rough with sleep.

"I'm sorry," Kara apologized softly. "I didn't mean to wake you up. I tried to be quiet."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing. I was just in the neighborhood, and had the urge to check in before heading home."

"You don't have to sneak in in the middle of the night," Lena chastised gently. "I meant it when I said you were welcome here anytime."

"I know," Kara said, flushing lightly. She didn't want to have to explain to Lena why she had been keeping her distance. "I'm sorry. I've just been super busy."

"You promised you wouldn't be a stranger." Lena wrapped her arms around herself and ran her hands up and down her arms.

"And I won't be," Kara promised. She fought the urge to apologize again. It felt like the only thing she did lately. "You should go back to bed," Kara urged, turning Lena towards her bedroom, and nudging her gently down the hall.

"You should come to dinner soon," Lena said, allowing Kara to shepherd her without any resistance. "Ali misses you."

"I miss her too," Kara replied quietly.

"So, you'll come by soon? When everyone is awake?"

Properly chastened, Kara nodded. "I promise."

Lena nodded, apparently satisfied with the answer. Lena paused at her bedroom door, hesitating for a moment, struggling with something. Finally, Lena offered Kara a quiet good night and disappeared into her dark bedroom.

Kara watched her go regretfully. Turning on her heel, Kara strode determinedly down the hallway. She needed to leave before she did something she would later regret.

* * *

Lena sat cross-legged in the middle of her living room, offering Ali lavish praise and encouragement. Lena still thought it was too early, but she knew Kara had been working with the baby, and she didn't want all her hard work to go to waste.

"Come on, sweetie, you can do it. Kara believes in you, and so do I. You're a Luthor," for the first time, Lena didn't think of it as a curse, "unrealistic expectations come with the territory. You got this."

Ali was crouched a few feet away, holding herself upright on hands and knees. So far, there had been no forward motion, the coordination required still a bit out of reach.

Lena patted the floor in front of her. "Come on, you can do it." She picked up Ali's favorite toy, the stuffed dog Kara had gotten for her and waved it at her enticingly. "Do you want Krypto? Well come and get him."

Ali frowned in frustration, and let out an unhappy grunt. As Lena watched, she started to rock front to back, but remained in place. Lena placed the stuffed toy down in front of her and grabbed her phone. Launching the camera, she aimed it at Ali, just in case. If the baby did finally make a move, Lena didn't want to miss it.

Her perseverance paid off, when, moments later, Ali let out a low grunt, and lurched her body forward, moving about an inch. Lena dropped the phone and scooped the baby off the floor. "You did it!" Lena exclaimed proudly. It may be stretching the truth just a bit, but Lena wasn't going to let facts get in the way. Ali had moved forward, under her own power. Bringing the baby close, Lena kissed her noisily on the cheek and neck, making Ali giggle loudly.

"I'm so proud of you." Lena had experienced her share of accomplishments in her life, but none of them had made her feel like this. Her heart felt light as a feather. "Kara's going to be so proud of you too."

Lena's smile dimmed a fraction. Kara should have been here to witness this.

Lena was finding it harder than she had expected to adjust to life without Kara. Amaeri had been a lifesaver, but it wasn't the same. While Lena had certainly relied on Kara for help with Ali, it had become so much more than that. Kara had been more than a set of helping hands, she had become someone Lena could share this journey with. It wasn't something she realized she would miss until it was gone.

Other than her brief, late-night visit, earlier in the week, Kara had made herself scarce. As yet, there had been no follow-up on the promised dinner. Lena figured that Kara was relieved to finally have her free time back, and vowed not to press. She would let Kara set the pace. Lena had already asked too much of her friend.

Lena had tried not to, knowing it wasn't really fair, but she felt more than a little bit hurt by Kara's absence. Kara had always assured her that she didn't mind the time she spent with Ali, but the fact that she hadn't been by to spend any real time with her since leaving, told Lena a different story.

Settling Ali in her lap, Lena handed her Krypto, both as a reward, and to keep her occupied. "Do you want to show Kara how amazing you are?" Just because she was determined to let Kara set the pace, didn't mean Lena wouldn't keep her informed. Even if Kara didn't want to spend all her free time with the two of them, Lena knew she would be excited about this development.

A few minutes later, Lena was hitting send.

* * *

"You're coming out with us tonight right?" Alex asked, stripping off her tactical vest, and throwing it into her locker.

Kara leaned back against a nearby locker, arms crossed. "I guess," she said with a shrug. "I don't have any other plans."

Kara still hadn't called Lena to arrange the promised dinner. She still didn't feel ready. Lena hadn't called to remind her, and the lack of communication felt deafening to Kara. Maybe Lena was relieved to have her privacy back.

Alex rolled her eyes and slammed her locker shut. "And whose fault is that?"

"Alex," Kara said warningly. She didn't want to get into this again.

"Fine," Alex huffed. "But I expect you at that bar no later than 8 PM. Don't make me come find you," Alex threatened.

Kara heard her phone ding with Lena's notification sound and waved Alex away absently. "Yes, yes. I'll be there." Her mind was already on what Lena could be contacting her about. Kara hoped everything was okay.

Turning away, Kara bent down and dug her phone out of her boot. Opening the message from Lena, Kara breathed a sigh of relief that it didn't appear to be an S.O.S.

A thumbnail for a video, followed by "Not quite leaping tall buildings…"

Curious, Kara hit play. She smiled unconsciously when Ali, face creased in determination, filled her phone screen. Kara watched as Ali started to rock. She could hear Lena encouraging her to come get Krypto. Finally, with one mighty grunt, the baby lurched forward. It was barely an inch, but it was definitely forward progress. The video tilted wildly, and Kara caught a brief glimpse of Lena's living room ceiling before the video ended.

Kara felt her heart sink. Her chest filling, not with joy, but with a crushing sense of disappointment. She had missed it. Kara gripped her phone tightly. Too tightly. Hearing the glass start to splinter, she relaxed her hold.

Cradling the phone gently, as though it were precious, she hit play, needing to see the video again.

"What are you watching?" Alex asked, peering over her shoulder curiously. Kara startled, having forgotten her sister was still in the room. Alex watched the video with a smile. "Cute."

"Yeah," Kara said softly.

"Hey? Are you okay?" Alex looked at her with concern.

"I'm fine," Kara insisted, hurriedly stowing her phone. "I'm actually feeling a little restless. I think I'm going to go for a quick circuit of the city." Kara needed to get out, to move, to escape.

"Are you sure you're okay? You look a little-"

"I'm fine," Kara said, a little sharply. Kara gentled her tone. "I promise. I just..I need to burn off some energy."

Alex continued to eye her worriedly, but she nodded her head. "Call if you need any backup."

Kara nodded. "I will. See you tonight."

* * *

A knock on her door roused Kara from her brooding. After watching the video, Kara had flown out of the DEO. She needed to think, to clear her head. The best thing for that was flying. At least it used to be. After a few hours of flying had done little to clear her head, so she had returned home to sulk instead.

Glancing at the clock, Kara bit off a curse. 8:45. She had lost track of time. That was undoubtedly Alex, coming to drag her out for a night at the bar. Kara had never felt less like going out than she did right now. The only thing she wanted to do less was get into a fight with her stubborn sister about it.

Another knock sounded, and Kara frowned. It wasn't like Alex to knock. Usually, she just barged in with little warning. Which Kara thought was rich considering how often she had lectured Kara not to do the same at her place.

Sighing loudly, Kara pushed off the couch. Maybe she had thrown the deadbolt, rendering Alex's key useless. She typically didn't bother, because, well, anything that could hurt her wasn't going to be stopped by a deadbolt in the first place. Kara's frown increased when she saw that the deadbolt was disengaged. Alex probably just wanted to get her closer to the door for easier extraction.

Throwing the door open, Kara stepped back in surprise. "Maggie?"

"Don't sound so shocked," Maggie said, walking past Kara and into the apartment. Kara closed the door and turned to follow after the detective.

"Why are you here? Is Alex okay?" Kara asked, worry starting to grow.

Maggie set a bottle of alien alcohol on the counter, and shrugged out of her leather jacket, throwing it over one of Kara's bar stools.

"Would I be this calm if something were wrong with Alex?" Maggie asked rhetorically. "When you didn't show up at the bar, Alex got worried."

"And she didn't want to come herself?" Kara asked in disbelief.

"We decided maybe it would be better if I handled this one," Maggie answered. Unscrewing the bottle, and pouring a healthy amount of liquid into a glass before pushing it toward Kara. "I figured you might need this."

Kara sat down across from Maggie, curling her hands around the glass. "What did Alex tell you?" Kara had no doubt that Alex had filled Maggie in. Early on, Alex had worried that Kara would feel betrayed if Alex discussed her concerns about Kara with Maggie. Kara had seen the strain it was putting on her sister to keep her concerns bottled up. In Maggie, Alex finally had a sounding board and the relief of finally having someone to talk things through with had been easy to see. Alex seemed more relaxed, more open. The only thing she didn't talk to Maggie about was Kara. Once Kara realized what was going on, she had assured her sister that it was fine. Alex loved Maggie, and she would soon be part of the family.

However, while Kara knew Alex discussed Kara with Maggie, Kara had yet to have any solo heart-to-hearts with the detective.

Maggie had retrieved the bottle of whiskey that Alex kept at Kara's, for just such an occasion, and poured herself a glass. "She told me that she talked to you about Luthor a few days ago." Maggie tipped her glass toward Kara. "I gave her hell for that by the way. I told her to leave it alone."

"She did mention that. To be fair to Alex, I may have pressed her on the subject. She clearly had something she wanted to say, and her dancing around it was driving me crazy," Kara admitted.

Maggie nodded. "So she said. Which is the only reason she got off so lightly," Maggie teased. Maggie took a healthy swallow of her drink.

"And she dropped it when I asked. That's new." Kara looked at Maggie. "Your influence?" Maggie tipped her head in acknowledgment. "You agree with her." It wasn't a question.

"What I think doesn't matter," Maggie replied. "If all you feel for Lena is friendship then it doesn't matter what Alex and I think."

Kara sighed, rolling the glass in her hands, but not taking a drink. "And what if you aren't wrong?"

"I'd say that both Alex and I are here for you if you need anything. If you want to do nothing, we support that. If you want to tell her, we support that too."

"I'm scared," Kara admitted. It wasn't an easy thing for Kara to admit. She was used to flying fearlessly into the face of sudden death. However, this threat wasn't physical. It was emotional and the potential for hurt was immeasurable.

"That she won't feel the same?"

"That. But also, what if I'm wrong. What if I say something, and it ends up being James all over again." Kara looked at Maggie with worried eyes.

"Only you can answer that," Maggie said, not offering Kara much in the way of reassurance. "Do you think that's likely? That you are just confusing friendship, and your feelings for Ali, and maybe seeing more than is really there?"

"This doesn't have anything to do with Ali," Kara corrected immediately. Maggie looked at her a little doubtfully. "It doesn't," Kara insisted. Of that, she had no doubt. She loved Ali, without question, but her feelings for Lena were separate from that. "What I feel for Lena…..it was there before Ali," Kara finally admitted.

Maggie accepted the answer with a nod. "You mentioned James. I wasn't around for that, though Alex has mentioned it. What makes you worry it's the same?"

"We started out as friends. I really liked him. He was supportive and funny, and attractive. When we were both finally single, I thought for sure…" Kara shook her head. "I love him but...not like that."

"I've been there," Maggie admitted. "It's a shitty feeling."

"Assuming that Lena is even interested." Maggie smirked, which Kara chose to ignore for now, "what if I'm wrong again?"

"What if you're not?" Maggie questioned. "First. I don't think you have to worry about Lena's feelings. I've been gay a very long time, and I can recognize when a woman is checking another woman out. Luthor was totally checking you out at game night."

"She was not," Kara scoffed, disbelievingly.

"Oh, but she was," Maggie corrected. "But, that's not what has you worried. Not really."

"It has me a little worried," Kara replied.

"But you're more worried that you're wrong about your feelings for Lena." Kara nodded. "Because maybe you're just friends." Kara nodded again. "You'd do just about anything for your friends, right?" Another nod. "Help them out in any way you could?" Another nod. "Tell me, Kara, if Winn or James, suddenly found themselves responsible for a baby, would you have moved in with them? Without a second thought?"

Kara wanted to say yes, of course she would, but she knew, deep down, that it wasn't true. She would help them, certainly, but move in with them? "No," she answered truthfully.

"Like I said, I wasn't around for your crush on James, but something tells me you didn't look at him the way you look at Lena." Kara looked at Maggie curiously. "She wasn't the only one checking someone out at game night."

Kara flushed, feeling exposed. Maggie laughed and reached over to pat her hand consolingly. "Don't feel bad. I've been there too."

Kara drew in a deep, steadying breath.

"Look, I know it can be scary. Trust me." Maggie shook her head. "When Alex told how she felt, I panicked. I had only had her in my life for a few months, and I knew that I didn't want to risk losing her. My relationships to that point had a tendency to end….poorly.

I thought that if I played it safe, at least I would get to keep her in my life as a friend. I convinced myself it would have been better than nothing. And it would have," Maggie confessed. "But I would have been missing out on so much." Maggie looked at Kara steadily. "It's basic risk versus reward. Play it safe, or take a chance."

"I'm glad you risked it," Kara said sincerely. "It saved me having to track you down and kick your ass. The only other time I've ever seen Alex look that broken was after Jeremiah went missing."

"She took it that hard?" Maggie asked hesitantly.

"She was crushed." Kara looked at her, confused. "Did you guys never talk about this?"

Maggie averted her eyes, uncomfortable. "Kinda. Not really. She confronted me in the parking garage and read me the riot act, but once I got my head out of my ass, we didn't really dwell too much on the past."

Kara could see the regret on Maggie's face and felt guilty. It hadn't been her intent to make Maggie feel bad. "Well, you figured it out, so no harm done." Kara pointed a finger at Maggie in warning. "If you ever do anything to hurt her like that again…." Kara let the threat hang unspoken.

Maggie held up her hands in surrender. "I won't. I promise." Maggie finished her drink and set the empty glass down with a click. "Alright, I'm going to head out. You want to come with? I'm sure everyone would be happy to see you."

Kara bit her lip but shook her head. "I think I'm going to stay in. I have a lot to think about."

Maggie nodded, shrugging into her jacket. "Call if you need anything."

Kara stood up. "I will. Maggie, I just...thanks." Kara said, enveloping the startled detective in a hug. Maggie's surprise lasted only a moment before she was wrapping her arms around Kara and returning the embrace.

"Of course. You're family."

* * *

"I'm going to talk to her."

After Maggie had left, Kara had spent the rest of the weekend debating her options. After considerable thought, Kara had decided she couldn't continue to play it safe out of fear. If Lena didn't feel the same, or if things didn't work out, they would work it out. Kara had to believe that.

Continuing to ignore her feelings was no longer a viable option. It was eating away at her, and if anything, that could cause the rift she so feared to develop.

"To Lena?" Alex asked.

"Yes, to Lena." As if Kara could be talking about anyone else. "I called her, we're going to have dinner this Friday. I'm going to do it then."

Alex pulled Kara into a one-armed hug. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks." Kara pushed Alex away. "Not that I don't like your hugs, but you are kinda covered in...I don't know what. And you smell."

"Whose fault is that?" Alex chided. "If you hadn't picked up the dumpster and hurled it, I wouldn't be covered in weeks old trash."

They had spent the last several hours cleaning up a scuffle between a band of aliens that had refused to join one of the shelters, and a group of anti-alien extremists. The extremists had been extremely organized, and well armed, and Kara wondered if CADMUS was somehow involved. Starting street fights wasn't really their style, however, so she was probably just grasping at straws. Trying to find a possible lead on Lillian where none existed.

"I told you to look out," Kara defended herself.

"After the trash was flying overhead. Kinda late."

"You should really go shower. Maggie isn't going to-" Kara cut off mid-sentence, rocketing into the air. She faintly heard Alex calling after her in alarm, but she blocked it out. All of her attention was now focused on a point across the city.

Lena. Something was wrong. She had to get to Lena.

* * *

Lena closed the nursery door with a relieved sigh. She and Ali were still adjusting to their new nighttime routine. Some nights were much harder than others. Lena had tried to learn some of the lullabies that Kara used to sing Ali to sleep, but she was sure her efforts left much to be desired.

Grabbing her laptop, Lena settled onto the couch. Over the course of Kara's stay, Lena had gotten out of the habit of working at home. While she had started out using any free moment to catch up on work, over time, Lena had found herself abandoning her laptop in favor of nights watching TV. Now, with Kara gone, Lena had reverted to form.

Thoughts of Kara made her mind shift to Friday. Lena was thrilled that Kara had called to make plans. Lena had been committed to giving Kara space, but if Kara hadn't called to arrange a get-together, Lena wasn't sure how much longer she could have held out.

As more time had passed, Lena began to suspect that something more may be behind Kara's distance. Even if Kara was relieved to have free time again, it wasn't like her to go almost totally silent. Other than the night she had bumped into Kara coming out of Ali's nursery, Lena had heard little from the blonde. If something was weighing on Kara's mind, Lena wanted to know what it was.

Lena knew that was more than a little ironic, her wanting to close the distance, considering she had been keeping Kara at arm's length for months. However, now that she had Kara back in her life, she didn't want to lose her again. Both for her own sake, and for Ali's.

The sound of shattering glass barely had a chance to register before smoke was filling the room. Lena tried to scramble to her feet, her one thought to get to Ali, to protect her.

However, the gas, one of her mother's creations no doubt, was insidiously fast, and she had barely managed to stand before she was crashing to her knees. Refusing to give up, Lena tried to push herself upright, but her arms wouldn't cooperate. Vision narrowing, Lena's last thought was that she really should be used to this by now, and wondering what her mother wanted her for this time.

Lena came to slowly, consciousness returning in bits and pieces. She blinked, confused. She was still in her apartment. Lena shook her head, trying to clear the last vestiges of fog.

Lena sat up slowly, idly noting that the air was clear. No doubt helped along by the wind gusting in from the shattered balcony door. Lena frowned, trying to make sense of why she was still here.

When it finally clicked, Lena scrambled to her feet, slipping and falling to the floor, her muscles still uncoordinated and weak. Not to be deterred by her inability to stand, Lena, crawled forward on hands and knees. Once she reached the hallway, she was finally able to claw her way up the wall, using it for support as she staggered drunkenly towards Ali's room.

Lena could see the door standing ominously open. She always pulled it closed while she was still awake, not wanting any light or noise to disturb Ali while she slept. Lena only propped it open on her way to bed.

Lurching through the doorway, Lena saw the empty crib, and the last strength went out of her legs. Crumbling to the floor, her mind went blank, except for one thought. Kara. She needed Kara.

Not knowing where her phone was, and not having the energy to look for it, Lena called out for Kara until her voice was hoarse. She just hoped that somewhere in the city, Kara was listening.


	16. No Stone Unturned

Kara pushed for more speed, not caring about the damage she may be leaving in her wake. A few broken windows were a price she was willing to pay if it meant she could get to Lena just a little bit faster. Lena's desperate shout of her name was still ringing in her ears, urging her on. After the initial cry, Lena had gone silent, and that worried Kara more than anything.

The relief of finally having Lena's building in view was soon dashed when she landed on the balcony and saw the shattered glass. It was obvious that someone had breached the apartment from the exterior. Glass crunching under her boots, Kara rushed into the apartment.

"Lena!"

Not receiving a response, Kara scanned the area. Locating Lena in the nursery, Kara sped down the hall. Her alarm increasing with each step as she saw the trail of bloody foot and handprints smeared on the floor and walls.

She found Lena on the floor in front of Ali's empty crib, curled in on herself, her head dipped down to her chest. Kara rushed over and fell to her knees beside her.

"Lena, what happened? Are you okay? Where's Ali?" The questions tumbled out of Kara in a rush. Lena sat motionless, staring blankly at the floor in front of her for a few moments. "Lena?" Kara said her name gently, hoping to coax a response out of the still silent woman.

Lena turned her head slowly, finally seeming to register Kara's presence. "Kara?" She blinked slowly, her expression still confused.

"I'm right here. Everything is going to be okay. Can you tell me what happened?" Kara kept her tone soft. It was clear that Lena was at the very least in shock, and maybe something else. Her pupils were tiny dots of black.

"I should have listened to you," Lena whispered brokenly. "Why didn't I listen?"

"Lena, sweetie, where's Ali?" Kara asked the question, but she feared she already knew the answer.

"She's gone." Lena dipped her head, tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes. "I didn't listen to you, and now she's gone." Lena suddenly raised her head and grasped at Kara's arm desperately. "You have to find her, Kara. You have to get her back."

"I will," Kara vowed. She reached down to loosen Lena's grip and frowned when she saw the bloody handprint left behind. "But first we're going to get you cleaned up." Lena's hands were covered in cuts, shards of broken glass still visible in some of the wounds.

Kara wanted nothing more than to take flight, find Ali, and bring her home. However, before she could, she needed more information. Information only Lena could provide. And in her current state, Lena didn't seem up to answering many questions.

Kara stood and offered her hand to Lena, helping the still shell-shocked woman to her feet. Lena took one tentative step and let out a muffled cry. Kara immediately spotted the problem and cursed herself for forgetting the bloody footprints she had seen in the hallway. Lena's hand's weren't the only things that had been abused by the broken glass.

Not hesitating, Kara bent slightly and scooped Lena off her feet. It was a testament to Lena's state of mind that instead of protesting, she simply dropped her head against Kara's chest and let herself be carried out of the room.

Kara set Lena gently on the edge of her bed and hurried over to the bathroom. Grabbing the supplies she would need to patch Lena up, Kara rushed back into the room. Lena remained where Kara had left her, unmoving.

Kneeling down in front of Lena, Kara started at her feet, wiping gently at the bloody and torn skin with a warm washcloth. Lena barely flinched, even though Kara suspected that it had to hurt.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Kara asked softly.

Lena remained quiet, and Kara was starting to think she wasn't going to answer when Lena spoke. "I had just put Ali down. She was a little bit fussier than normal, but I finally got her settled. I sang her that one song you taught me in Kryptonian. I'm sure I didn't get all the words correct, but she didn't seem to mind."

Kara continued to tend to the cuts on Lena's feet and legs, letting Lena relay the information at her own pace. Not wanting to rush her, even if she was impatient for answers.

"I needed to get some work done, so I grabbed my computer and had just gotten comfortable on the couch when…."

Kara paused in her ministrations and reached up to grasp Lena's hand lightly, mindful of the injuries on her palms. "Did you see who it was?"

Lena shook her head. "It all happened so fast. I barely heard the breaking of the glass, and then the room was filling up with smoke. I tried to stand, to get to Ali, but I couldn't make it." Lena looked at Kara, eyes pleading. "I did try to get to her, Kara. You have to believe that. I tried."

"Hey, I know you did." Kara stood, and sat beside Lena on the bed, sliding an arm around her back. "I have no doubt that you did everything you could. It's not your fault, Lena."

"I didn't protect her," Lena disagreed. "I said I would keep her safe, and now she's been taken. I failed, Kara."

"We're gonna get her back," Kara promised. She didn't know how, but she vowed that she wouldn't give up until she had Ali back with them, safe. "What next?"

Lena shrugged. "I woke up on the living room floor. At first, I thought it was odd. I thought for sure I was going to wake up in another one of Lex's hidden bunkers." Lena paused. "Then I remembered."

"You think it was Lillian?" Kara had to ask the question, even if she was already sure of the answer.

"Who else would it be?" Lena questioned bitterly. Lena pushed off the bed, either not noticing, or not caring, about the smear of blood she left on her white duvet. "I've already wasted enough time. We need to find her."

"We will, we will. But first I need you to sit back down." Kara placed a restraining hand against Lena's chest, holding her in place.

"I'm fine," Lena insisted.

"No, you're bleeding," Kara corrected. Kara pushed her gently back down onto the bed. "Just...sit there, and let me get you some shoes. Then we can head to the DEO and see if they have any information that can help us."

* * *

"Where the hell have you been?" Alex yelled, rushing forward to confront Kara the moment her boots set down on the DEO balcony. "You just took off with no notice, and then your coms went dark. I've been worried sick." Kara set Lena gently onto her feet, and Alex's attention zeroed in. "What happened to her?"

"Ali's been taken."

Alex jerked her gaze back to Kara. "What do we know?" Kara was grateful that Alex didn't waste any time with pointless questions. This was one time she appreciated her sister's laser-like focus on the task at hand.

"Not a whole lot. Lena's apartment was breached through the balcony, they knocked her out with gas, and they took Ali."

"How long?"

Kara looked at Lena. "I got her down around 8:00. It couldn't have been more than five minutes after that."

Alex checked the time on her ever-present tactical watch. "Almost two hours. Not ideal. It's too late to set a perimeter. Not that it would do much good anyway. If the entry point was the balcony, that means they most likely came down from the roof, meaning they have access to air support. Any idea who?"

Kara looked at Alex meaningfully. Alex nodded her understanding. "Right. I'll get Winn to pull all any recent chatter and see if there's anything there."

Kara knew that Alex was mostly offering to do that to give Lena the appearance that they were being proactive. Ever since Lillian had visited Lena at the office, Kara had been insistent that any mention of Lillian, CADMUS, or any known associates be brought to her attention immediately. News had been frustratingly scarce, almost suspiciously scarce, Kara now realized.

Alex looked at Lena, who was standing beside Kara, still uncharacteristically quiet. "Kara, why don't you take Lena down to the medical bay. I'll be down right after I get Winn started."

Kara nodded and placed a hand on the small of Lena's back, urging her forward silently. Kara wanted nothing more than to take to the sky and start hunting down Lillian's whereabouts, but she knew that she couldn't just abandon Lena. Hopefully, given a little time, Winn would be able to find something that would give Kara a starting point.

* * *

"Let me take a look," Alex said gently. Grasping Lena's hands lightly, she turned them palm side up, wincing in sympathy. "Those must sting."

Lena shrugged. She was aware of the pain, but she had pushed it to the back of her mind. Her pain wasn't important right now. What was mild physical discomfort when compared to Ali being gone? Everything else not only paled in comparison but faded into total obscurity.

"Good news is that I don't think you need stitches." Alex rested Lena's hands in her lap, palms still facing up, and wheeled her stool over to a nearby cabinet. "I do think we should wrap them up though, so they don't get infected."

Alex scooted back over and dropped various first aid supplies on the bed beside Lena.

Taking Lena's hand once again, Alex grabbed a bottle of saline and started flushing the wounds. "Kara mentioned that you cut them on glass. I just want to make sure no debris is left behind."

"I'm not a child, Agent Danvers. You don't have to explain every step of the process to me."

"Are we back to Agent Danvers? I thought we had moved past that?" Alex didn't look up from her task. Satisfied that she had removed any remaining pieces of glass, she started applying a first aid gel.

"We have," Lena responded, contrite. "I have a bad habit of reverting to formality in times of stress."

"I'll give you a pass….this time," Alex said, her tone light. Alex picked up the gauze and started wrapping it around Lena's hand, careful not to constrict the movement of her fingers. Task complete, Alex removed her gloves with a snap and tossed them into a nearby wastebasket. "How are you doing?"

Lena almost laughed at the absurdity of the question.

"I've had better days."

Alex nodded her head. "That was a stupid question," Alex acknowledged. "We're going to do everything in our power to get Ali back home safe and sound. This isn't the first time we've had to go up against your mother-"

"She's not my mother," Lena snapped. "Don't refer to her that way again."

Any residual feelings Lena may have once harbored for the women that had raised her had been well and truly extinguished. Lena had looked past a lot over the years in an effort to maintain some semblance of a familial relationship with Lillian Luthor, but that was all in the past. Lena could overlook Lillian's mistreatment and neglect of Lena herself, but this, this was something that she could never forgive.

Alex raised her eyebrows. "-against Lillian. She may have an irritating knack for getting away, but we can usually track her down. We will get Ali back."

"Like you got your father back?"

Lena immediately regretted the jab when she saw Alex's expression close off. Her emotions had shut down when she woke up and realized that Ali had been taken. Now that the numbness was starting to wear off, her fear was causing her to lash out at those around her.

"I'm sorry," Lena apologized before Alex had a chance to respond. Lena looked down at her hands. The hands that Alex had just spent time and care tending to. Alex had offered her nothing but kindness and support, and all Lena could do was take out her frustration on her. She didn't deserve these people. "Maybe it would be better if I leave."

"Don't be stupid," Alex chastised gently. "Besides, it's not like you don't have a valid point." Alex shook her head. "This situation is different. Ali isn't going to evade us and try to stay with Lillian to fulfill her own agenda. You have to know how much Kara loves that kid. She won't rest until she finds her."

After she had escorted Lena to the medical bay, Lena had seen how the inaction was wearing on Kara. For someone used to tackling problems head-on, being asked to sit and wait had to be frustrating. Once Alex had arrived Lena had urged her to go and check with Winn. Kara had protested, offering to stay with Lena, but Lena had insisted. A small part of her selfishly wanted to keep Kara by her side, but a larger part knew that Kara's assistance would be better served elsewhere.

"I do. She has never made any secret about how she feels about Ali. Unlike me."

"Your situation was a little bit more complicated."

Lena looked at Alex. "Maybe at first. But it's been months. Why didn't I ever tell her I loved her?" It was Lena's biggest regret. She had been so careful to guard her emotions and try to keep her distance, that she had never voiced her feelings aloud. Now that it may be too late, Lena didn't understand why she had hesitated.

"You'll still get the chance." Lena wished she could be as certain as Alex, but all she could think about was what if she never got the chance to see Ali again. To see her grow up and flourish.

"What if I don't?" Lena asked brokenly. Alex moved to sit beside Lena on the bed. Lena tensed when she felt Alex's hand wrap around her back, but after a few moments, she relaxed into the embrace. Other than Kara, Lena wasn't used to receiving hugs.

"You can't think like that," Alex insisted. "You have to believe you'll see her again soon."

"Hope is a dangerous concept in my family. Things have a habit of ending...badly."

"Yeah, well, Kara has basically adopted you, and hope is a very big thing in our family." Alex tightened her arm. "Ali's family. None of us are going to rest until we get her back."

Lena nodded, a tear trailing down her cheek. "I love her so much, Alex. I didn't think it was possible to love someone that much. I need to get her back."

At any other time, Lena would be embarrassed by her emotional outburst. It wasn't like a Luthor to wear their emotions on their sleeves. Especially around someone they barely knew. Lena couldn't muster the energy to care. Alex may be a virtual stranger, but it felt safe with her. Like Kara, but different.

"How about we go check in and see if they've learned anything new?"

* * *

"What do we know?" J'onn asked, arms crossed over his chest.

"Not much." Winn looked at Lena sympathetically. "Chatter has still been frustratingly absent. I'll keep scanning, but other than the skirmish that Kara dealt with earlier tonight, there hasn't even been a hint of anything that could be CADMUS related."

"What skirmish?" Lena directed the question to Kara.

"It was nothing major. Just a street fight between a group of refugees and some anti-alien activists. We don't even know if it was CADMUS related."

Lena shook her head. "The timing seems more than a coincidence. She wanted to make sure you were busy when she made her move." It wasn't a question. Lena knew how her mother operated and it had Lillian's stamp all over it. Divide and conquer. Separate the vulnerable from the safety of the herd and strike.

Lena cursed herself once again for not taking the threat more seriously. She had posted guards outside her door, but she had never for a moment considered that the balcony would prove to be a point of vulnerability. She couldn't conceive of anyone but Kara making use of the entrance and Kara was always welcome.

"Stop blaming yourself," Kara whispered softly in her ear.

"That's not going to be easy, considering it's my fault," Lena whispered back. Kara shook her head and looked like she was about to argue further when J'onn saved Lena from having to answer.

"Were you able to get anything off of the video?" J'onn asked Winn.

Lena looked up, surprised. "What video?"

"I asked Mr. Schott to retrieve the footage from your...nanny cams," J'onn answered.

Lena shifted her attention to Winn. "It was you," Lena said, realization dawning. "You were the one that hacked my network."

Winn squirmed uncomfortably under Lena's scrutiny. "Kara made me do it!"

At any other time, Lena would have pursued the matter, but she realized that as much as it irked her that someone had managed to hack her firewall, now wasn't really the time. She did make a mental note to follow up with Winn after they got Ali back. Lena swallowed thickly. If they got Ali back.

Lena cleared her throat, refusing to break down and cry in front of everyone. "Did you find anything?" Lena asked, her voice strained.

Winn looked at her a few moments as if waiting for her to attack him, but when she didn't he directed his attention to his computer and let out a rapid-fire burst of keystrokes. A grainy still of a man entering Ali's nursery filled the screen.

Lena studied the poor quality image intently, willing herself to recognize the man. Finally, she shook her head, admitting defeat. "I've never seen him before."

"Not that surprising," Alex interjected. "Lillian likes to have her people keep a low profile. Winn, bring up the other image." Winn nodded, and a few seconds later Lena was looking at another image of who she assumed was the same man. She didn't recognize the setting.

"This was captured a few months ago when we ran into a bit of trouble with a CADMUS cell that had been operating out of an east side warehouse."

Until that moment, Lena hadn't realized that she had still been holding onto some small shred of hope that it hadn't really been Lillian that had taken Ali. That maybe it had just been a simple kidnapping. Someone looking for a handsome payoff. She knew it was ridiculous. Who else besides Lillian would know to make sure that Supergirl was otherwise engaged?

"Do you have any leads?" Lena asked hopefully.

Alex looked at Lena, her expression full of regret. "Not yet, but we will," Alex promised. "I've already spoken to Maggie, and she is going to put the word out with the NCPD and all of her other….contacts...on the street. At the first sign of anything even remotely CADMUS related, we're going to descend in force."

Lena nodded. It felt like a crushing weight was pressing down on her chest, but she managed a weak smile. "Thank you. All of you. I know that it isn't exactly your job, and I just…" Lena cleared her throat. "I really appreciate it."

"Hey, Lena?" Alex waited until Lena met her gaze. "Stop being an idiot." Normally Lena would have been offended, but there was no sting in the words. Alex was looking at her with nothing but affection. "How many times do we have to tell you that you're family before it finally sinks in?"

Lena knew the question was rhetorical, but she answered nevertheless. "Probably a few more."

Alex shook her head. "And you're supposed to be a genius?"

* * *

"Are you sure you want to stay here?" Kara asked, rubbing her hands together nervously. "I know you don't want to go home, but you are more than welcome to stay at my place."

Lena sat on the bottom bunk of one of the beds that the DEO provided for agents to use when going home just wasn't an option. Since it had been relatively quiet lately, Lena and Kara were the only two in the room.

Lena nodded, pushing up the arms of her sweatshirt. Kara had stolen the sweats from Alex's locker, and they were a little long on Lena.

"I need to be close, in case anything happens," Lena said, looking up at Kara. "I doubt I will be able to sleep either way, so going to your place would be pointless. I would just drive myself up the wall wondering what was happening. At least here there are people, distractions. If you think I'm in the way, I can-"

"You're not in the way. I just want you to be comfortable." Kara bit her lip, looking at Lena in concern. Now that the shock, and remaining sedative, had worn off, Lena was looking much more alert. Alert, but worried. The strain of the situation was easy to read on Lena's face, her eyes pinched, and a permanent frown in place. Kara wanted to alleviate that worry, but she knew nothing short of bringing Ali home would fix it.

Kara sat down beside Lena on the bed, close, but not quite touching. "I'm sorry I wasn't there."

Lena turned to look at Kara, confused. "You don't have anything to be sorry about, Kara. You couldn't have known anything was going to happen."

Kara shook her head. "I should have been paying attention. I let myself get distracted."

Lena placed her hand on Kara's knee. "You were doing your job. You can't spend every minute of the day focused on Ali and me. This isn't your fault."

"But if I had-"

"We agreed that wouldn't be a good idea," Lena reminded her gently. Kara nodded her head. They had discussed Kara, and her use of super hearing, when Kara had moved out. Both had agreed, Kara a bit reluctantly, that it would be better if she just stopped by in person if she was worried, or wanted to check up on Ali. Kara hadn't liked it, but she could acknowledge that listening in, unnoticed, was more than a little invasive.

The pair lapsed into silence. Kara covered Lena's hand, toying idly with her fingers. Lean leaned over and rested her head on Kara's shoulder. Kara debated with herself if she wanted to say anything. Maybe it was better to just keep her worries to herself? Surely, it wasn't fair to further burden Lena, she already had so much on her place.

"I'm scared," Lena whispered, as if reading Kara's thoughts.

"I'm scared too," Kara admitted. She was so used to being the one to insist that everything would work out, it felt odd to admit that she had doubts of her own. Kara knew she would do anything in her power to get Ali back, but what if her power wasn't enough? Lillian had bested them before.

"We'll get her back?" The uncertainty in Lena's voice broke Kara's heart. She turned her head, burying her face in Lena's hair. The familiar scent of Lena's coconut shampoo helped calm her.

"I won't rest until we do," Kara promised.

* * *

Kara landed on the balcony, her knees buckling slightly before she caught her balance, and stumbled forward.

"You need to rest," Alex scolded, rushing over to offer Kara assistance. Kara brushed Alex aside and continued toward her destination. She was afraid that if she stopped, she may not be able to get started again.

"I'm fine. I just need a few hours in the sunbed and I'll be good as new."

"No, what you need is to actually sleep. How long has it been?" Alex demanded, walking beside Kara, prepared to catch her if she stumbled again.

Kara shook her head. "I don't have the time."

Kara had been scanning the city, and any other location with even the slimmest connection to CADMUS or Luthor Corp, non-stop since Ali had been taken. Alex argued that the whole endeavor was a waste of time and energy. Until they had a solid lead, there was no point. Kara had been unable to just sit still and wait. If there was even the most remote chance she may be able to find Ali, she had to try.

"Don't make me have J'onn make it an order."

"You're forgetting I don't technically work for J'onn."

"I'll call Mom," Alex said triumphantly.

Kara paused. Ever since Eliza and Alex came to terms a few years ago, Eliza had been much more vocal about her disappointment when Kara failed to live up to expectations. Kara was still adjusting. Plus, she really was exhausted. Maybe a few minutes of rest wouldn't hurt. Not even Supergirl was immune to a maternal scolding.

"I can have Maggie swing by with some takeout?" Sensing a weakening in Kara's resolve, Alex moved in for the kill shot.

"Pizza and potstickers?"

Alex smiled triumphantly. Kara was too tired to care. "Sure thing. Go wait in my office, I have one more thing to take care of."

* * *

Lena bent over the schematic, cursing under her breath when she realized she had forgotten to install one of the integrated circuits. It was a stupid, careless error. One she would expect out of a first-year engineering student. She removed her glasses, her contacts dried out ages ago, and rubbed wearily at her eyes.

Not for the first time, Lena wondered if it wouldn't make more sense just to take everything back to L-Corp. Technically, the detection technology was no longer her sole possession, and she would probably be breaching her contract with the government in about a hundred ways, but that was the last thing Lena cared about right now.

Lena's decision to integrate the alien refugees formally into L-Corp was already paying dividends. She had been struggling to figure out how she was going to enhance the sensor when the solution presented itself in the form of a piece of alien scanning technology. It was far ahead of anything even L-Corp had developed. Actually meshing the two technologies was proving slightly more complicated. It would be easier if she could consult with the alien that had brought the scanner to her attention, but J'onn had vetoed that idea. DEO personnel only.

Lena didn't want to burn her bridges with the DEO. It was bound to be a lucrative contract, but if she continued to struggle, she may just have to risk it. Nothing was more important than getting Ali back, not even L-Corp. She wanted to maintain a cordial relationship with the DEO, and she didn't want to put Kara in an awkward position, but she would do what she had to do.

Lena jumped when a hand clamped down on her shoulder. Spinning in her seat, she was met with a determined-looking Alex Danvers.

"Get up, you need a break."

Lena shook her head. "I think I just about have a working circuit model. I want to get it built so that I can test it."

Alex looked down at her, unimpressed. "It will still be here in a few hours. You need to eat, maybe take a nap. Actually acknowledge that you are human after all."

"A few hours? Absolutely not. There will be time to rest once we have Ali back."

Lena thought she heard Alex mumble something about them both being too stubborn for their own good, but her attention had already shifted back to the schematic in front of her.

"Fine. Make me do this the hard way," Alex grumbled. Alex clamped her hand firmly around Lena's upper arm, and dragged her away from her workbench.

"Let go of me!" Lena protested.

"Once we get to my office," Alex replied.

Lena tried to plant her feet, but much to her chagrin, Alex towed her along almost as easily as Kara would have. It may be time to revisit her pathological aversion to the gym.

"And what's so special about your office?" Lena groused.

"My office is where there will be food, and rest." Alex paused briefly, and cast Lena a sidelong glance. "And Kara."

Even through the fatigue and worry, Lena felt herself perk up marginally. She pointedly ignored the small smirk Alex gave her. Tonight would mark two days since Ali had been gone. It had been almost as long since Lena had seen Kara.

After Kara had left on her first fruitless patrol of the city, Lena realized that she had to find something constructive to do or she was going to drive herself insane. After a brainstorming session with Winn, Lena realized that the alien detection device may be of some use if they could get it working. She had designed the device to work on contact, and had spent months trying to adapt it to a satellite application. She was making progress, but it had been painfully slow.

When she had started working on the project, it had been mostly to have something to keep her mind and hands busy. Once she realized that the alien scanning technology may be just the thing they needed to finally get it working, she had been single-minded in her determination.

"Did she have any news?" Lena asked, trying to keep her hope in check.

Alex looked at her regretfully. "Nothing new." Lena's shoulders slumped. "She's not giving up," Alex continued. "I had to threaten her with Mom in order to get her to rest." Alex looked at Lena pointedly. "You are both too stubborn for your own good. What good will you be if you collapse from exhaustion?"

"I need to stay busy," Lena said quietly. If she stopped working for any length of time the worry and anxiety were almost enough to suffocate her.

"You also need to make sure you take care of yourself. I'm not going to be too happy if I have to babysit once we get her back because you two are both recovering in a hospital bed," Alex complained, though there was no real heat to her words..

Arriving at Alex's office, Lena couldn't help but smile when she saw Kara half slumped over on the small couch Alex kept pushed against one wall, a half-eaten slice of pizza in her hand. The bulge to Kara's cheeks left little doubt as to where the other half was. Kara chewed rapidly, and swallowed. If it had been anyone else, Lena would have been more than a little worried about them choking to death.

"Lena. Hi." Kara rose from her seat, and Lena saw her sway slightly in place.

"Sit down. I can see Alex wasn't exaggerating when she said you were on the verge of collapse."

"I never exaggerate."

Maggie snorted. "Sure you don't." Maggie looked at Alex critically, cupping her cheek and rubbing gently at the dark circles under her eyes. "Kara and Lena aren't the only ones that look like death warmed over. Have you gotten any sleep at all?"

Alex shrugged, but didn't pull away from the touch. "I've gotten a few hours in."

"You should try to get a few more," Maggie instructed.

"Thanks, babe," Alex grumbled.

"Not fun when you're on the receiving end is it?" Kara questioned, still standing, pizza in hand.

Lena pushed on Kara's shoulders, urging her to resume her seat. Kara offered no resistance, and all but collapsed onto the couch. Lena took the spot next to her, sighing in relief. Her back was killing her from being hunched over her workbench for hours on end.

"Here," Maggie said, tossing a bag at Lena. Her reflexes dulled by fatigue, Lena failed to catch the bag and it hit her in the chest before landing in her lap. "Sorry. I figured you would appreciate something a little less...greasy. There weren't a whole lot of options, but the pizza place did have a pretty decent salad selection. Hope it's okay."

Lena looked down at the bag blankly. She still wasn't quite used to people going out of their way, even in small ways, just for her. To her mortification, Lena felt tears start to pool in her eyes. Blinking them away, she chalked it up to exhaustion.

"Thank you, Maggie," Lena said hoarsely. "I'm sure it will be wonderful." Opening the bag, Lena removed her salad. Lena's stomach rumbled loudly, and she realized she couldn't remember the last time she had eaten.

Finished with her first piece, Kara leaned forward and reached for a second. "How are things going in the lab? Alex mentioned you were working on adapting the alien detection device?"

Lena nodded. "I'm working on integrating the detection sensor, into a scanning technology that one of the new alien employees brought to my attention. It has promise, but it's been frustratingly slow."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Kara said confidently. Lena wished she shared her optimism. Kara sighed, shoulders slumping. "I wish I could say I was making any progress."

"You're both being too hard on yourselves. It hasn't even been two days." Alex held up her hands to stay any protests. "I know that doesn't help. I know that it must seem like an eternity. But I also know that we have beaten Lillian before, and we'll beat her this time."

Lena appreciated the sentiment, but she couldn't help but harbor doubts. You couldn't beat someone that you couldn't find. Lena had given Alex all the records L-Corp had regarding Lex's secret stashes, hoping that Lillian had holed up in one as she had before. So far, none had yielded anything.

Which was why getting the detection device operational was so crucial. Lena could already feel the pressure of time wasted. She shouldn't be sitting here eating, she had work to do. At the same time, sitting down, and finally taking a break felt almost decadent. She just needed to rest her eyes for a moment and then she would get back to it.

* * *

"Should we wake them up and move them to proper beds?" Maggie asked, eyeing the pair on the sofa. Once they had finally stopped moving, and gotten a little bit of food into their systems, it had taken no time at all for them to fall asleep. Unfortunately, Alex's sofa was anything but spacious, and they had just kind of fallen over onto each other in an awkward tangle.

Alex shook her head. "If we do that, they are just going to insist on going back to work instead of sleeping. At least this way they'll get a little bit of rest."

Maggie tilted her head, contemplating Alex's response. "They're both going to wake up with one hell of a neck ache."

"Can't be helped. They are both too stubborn for their own good. They're perfect for each other," Alex grumbled.

Maggie leaned sideways, knocking her shoulder against Alex's. "Cut them a little slack. They're just worried. I can relate." They both knew that Maggie was referring to the time that Alex had been taken.

Alex nodded, chewing on her pizza, and looking at the couple on the couch. "She was going to talk to her. Before all this..."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Whatever you said to her must have made an impression." Much to Alex's frustration, Maggie had refused to break Kara's confidence and reveal the details of her conversation with Kara.

"I just told her not to let fear get in the way of what you really want."

Alex slanted a look toward Maggie. "Are you telling me that you used your pick-up line on my sister?"

"That was not a pick-up line," Maggie scoffed. "I was being heartfelt and sincere."

"It was a little bit of a line."

Maggie shook her head. "See if I ever confess my feelings to you again."

"You told me how much you loved me like thirty minutes ago."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is the point?"

Maggie smiled at Alex and shook her head, appreciating this brief, playful interlude in an otherwise stressful situation. "That I will be forever grateful that my pick-up line worked."

"So you admit it!"

"Danvers?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up." Maggie didn't give Alex a chance to protest. Instead leaning over and claiming Alex's lips in a tender kiss.


	17. Lost and Found

Far outside National City, Kara raced over the barren landscape. She was on her way to check out another one of Lex's abandoned storage sites. Kara was trying to stay positive, but she could feel her optimism flagging. The worry that they wouldn't be able to find Lillian was a constant companion.

She didn't want to burden Lena with her doubts, which was part of the reason she was spending all of her time in the field instead of at the DEO. After waking up, Kara had made a hasty exit. Seeing the disappointment and worry in Lena's eyes was a painful reminder that Kara had promised to keep Ali safe, and that she had failed.

Kara couldn't stop imagining all the things that Lillian may be doing to the girl. The best case scenario was that she needed the child, as she had once needed Lena, to access something. If Lillian needed her, then that would meant there was a chance she was safe and cared for, at least for now. Kara's mind shied away from the other possibilities. Possibilities that didn't involve needing Ali alive.

Arriving at the coordinates, Kara activated her x-ray vision and scanned the surrounding area. Some of Lex's old bases had lead safe rooms, but Kara saw no blank spots on her scan. Unfortunately, she didn't see anything else to indicate that Ali may be here. There were no signs of life.

Kara's shoulders slumped in defeat.

Time was ticking away on the third day since Ali had been taken, and Kara was no closer to finding her than when she started. How much time did Ali have left? Was Lillian feeding her enough, or at all? Did anyone comfort her when she was upset or was she left to cry alone?

" _Kara, we need you back at base, ASAP."_  Alex's voice filled her ear, and she felt her heart thud heavily in her chest.

"What's going on?" Kara asked, already turning and racing back toward National City.

" _Lena finished the scanner."_

Kara didn't waste any time responding. She put her head down and left a sonic boom in her wake.

* * *

"Bring us up to speed Mr. Schott," J'onn ordered.

Winn, who had been tilting back in his chair, started, and almost sent himself tumbling to the floor. He scrambled to right himself and planted his feet securely on the floor. "Um, actually, it may be better to have Lena explain it. She did most of the work," Winn admitted.

"Ms. Luthor?" J'onn indicated that she had the floor.

"I'll spare you all the technical details, but I successfully managed to integrate the sensor from my alien detection device with a non-contact scanner. It should allow for positive identification without the need for a blood sample.

As you know, when I agreed to start working with the DEO to adapt the detection device, the original plan was to deploy it across a satellite array in orbit. Obviously, since we anticipated that project taking years to accomplish, that isn't going to be possible."

Lena placed a handheld device down on the table.

"Lucky for us, the scanning technology was portable."

Kara stepped forward to get a better look at the device. "How close do I have to be?"

"It should be effective within 1000 meters."

"That's pretty close," Kara worried.

Lena nodded. "It is. The good news is that it will penetrate any known substance. So unless Lillian is deep underground, or has access to a submarine, you just have to be in the area."

"The original detector was only designed to tell if someone was human or alien. How are we going to know if it's Ali or just a non-human?" Alex asked.

"I modified the sensor," Lena answered. "Instead of running a broad comparison analysis to determine if a given gene sequence is human or not, it is going to be testing against a specific sample and only returning a positive result if there is an exact match."

"That's why you wanted me to run her DNA sequence," Alex realized.

"We still don't know where to look though," Kara pointed out with a frown.

"But we know where not to look," Alex said. "We can eliminate any location that you've already searched."

"Good work, Ms. Luthor." J'onn turned to Kara. "We'll have a team on standby awaiting your call. As soon as you locate her, just give the word. I don't want you engaging without backup. We can't be sure this wasn't all just a trap for you in the first place."

Kara frowned, not liking the restriction J'onn was attempting to place on her. "I'll call as soon as I find her," Kara promised. Kara deliberately didn't address the second half of J'onn's statement. She wouldn't make a promise she knew she couldn't keep.

J'onn nodded, satisfied with her answer, and turned to talk to one of the other agents. Alex wasn't quite so accepting.

"I noticed you didn't promise to wait for backup." Alex stepped in front of Kara, arms crossed over her chest. Kara started to speak, but Alex raised her hand to silence her. "Please...just...be careful. I know you are going to do what you need to do, but...can you at least try to wait for backup?"

Kara nodded. "I'll try."

Alex reached out and gave Kara a quick hug. "You'd better. Or I'll kick your ass." Alex released Kara and stepped back. "Don't keep me waiting too long. You know how much I hate being all dressed up with nowhere to go."

Kara turned and almost collided with Lena, who was standing behind her holding the scanner.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to sneak up on you." Lena handed Kara the scanner. "It's pretty easy to operate. Turn it on here," Lena pushed a small button on the side, "and then just point it in the direction of your target. If it gets a match it will show up the screen. It works as a simple C-scope, so you should be able to use it to zero in on the target."

Kara nodded and took the device from Lena. "This is great, Lena. Just what we needed. I'm gonna bring her back." For the first time in almost three days, Kara truly believed it.

"I know you will," Lena said with a small smile. The smile faded, Lena's expression growing pensive. "You'll be careful?"

"Of course." Kara hesitated a moment before giving in to her instincts and wrapping Lena in a hug. Lena brought her hands up to rest against Kara's back, clutching at her cape. "Everything is going to be okay. I promise."

* * *

Kara sped away from yet another abandoned site, her frustration mounting. The list of possible targets was rapidly dwindling, and with it, Kara's remaining hope. She had been sure that the scanner would prove to be the final piece of the puzzle. So far, it had proved to be just another disappointment.

"Another dead end," Kara reported to Alex tersely over her com.

Alex's sigh was audible over the line.  _"Let me check the list Lena gave us."_  Kara oriented herself in the general direction of National City as she waited for Alex to relay the next target.

" _That was the last one,"_  Alex said regretfully.

"It can't be," Kara insisted desperately. "You must have missed one. Check the list again."

" _I did. There was the last of Lex's old sites. If there are any other's, Lena doesn't have information on them."_

Kara bit off a curse. She refused to just give up. "Then I'll go back and double check the sites we crossed off the list. I must have missed something."

" _Kara, maybe it would be better if you came back. We can regroup, and you can start fresh tomorrow."_

"No! I'm not just going to give up."

" _Kara-"_

"No, Alex! If you don't want to give me the next location, fine, I'll just do it by myself." Not wanting to hear any more of Alex's protest, Kara reached up and deactivated her com. She was sure she would hear about it later. J'onn hated it when they went silent in the field, but at the moment, Kara didn't care.

It only took Kara a few moments to realize that she had no idea where she was going. The series of abandoned warehouses and remote bases that she had visited over the last few days all bled together in her mind.

Refusing to admit defeat, Kara decided she would just perform a quadrant search of the city. She had checked all locations with any known affiliations to CADMUS or Luthor Corp, but National City was a big place. Her x-ray vision and super hearing were of little use in a wide area search, but the with the scanner, maybe her luck would turn.

By the time Kara had made her fiftieth pass over the city, she was growing convinced that any luck she may have once had, was long since used up. She was trying to be careful to overlap her runs, not wanting to leave any area unscanned. It was a tedious process, and Kara worried her fatigue would cause her to make a careless error.

When the beep emitted from the device, she thought for a moment she was hallucinating. It wasn't until it pinged again, more loudly, that she realized what was happening. Kara circled the area, zeroing in on the source of the signal.

The building was brick, nondescript, and identical to about a dozen others just like it. Not wanting to blow her cover, Kara set down on a rooftop a few buildings away. It was a little taller and offered her a vantage point to observe the building more closely.

Her first scan of the building had her heart sinking with disappointment. The building was five floors, and not one of them showed any signs of activity. Kara feared she had hit another dead end when a flicker of motion on the edge of her vision caught her attention. Tilting her gaze down, Kara felt a surge of adrenaline.

Under the building's basement lay two more subterranean levels. Kara was able to count about a dozen armed guards, but they weren't her primary concern. Moving her gaze quickly past them she scanned the area for Ali.

She finally found her in a small, well-guarded room near the center of the lowest level. Kara's eyes welled, and she blinked rapidly to clear them. As much as she wanted to break down, now wasn't the time.

Reaching up, Kara reactivated her com.

"Alex?"

" _Dammit, Kara, you know how stupid it is-"_

"I found her."

" _Where are you?"_

Kara looked around to gain her bearings. She had been so focused on finally getting a hit, that she hadn't taken stock of her surroundings. Using the skyscrapers that marked the center of the city, Kara was able to place her location somewhere on the city's lower west side.

"In the industrial quarter." Kara launched into the air and found the nearest cross-street. "Phillips, off of Sepulveda." Kara landed back on the roof and searched the target building for a number. "1789."

" _What can you tell us?"_  In the background, Kara could already hear the team scrambling to deploy.

"Not much. Upper levels are deserted. There are two levels below the basement where they're holding her."

" _Okay, we're en route. ETA about ten minutes. Do not engage until we get there. Repeat. Do not engage."_

Kara shook her head. "Just...hurry, Alex." Knowing she would catch hell for it later, but not wanting her sister's angry protests to distract her, Kara once again deactivated her com.

Kara's mind told her that the smart thing to do would be to wait for backup, brainstorm a plan, and then execute. Her heart, however, was telling her to go and get Ali as soon possible.

Kara, who had barely taken her eyes off of Ali since finding her, focused her super hearing. When she heard the baby's loud, hysterical crying, any possibility that she was going to be able to wait for backup evaporated.

Kara examined the building, weighing her options. She could try to go in quietly and hope that she could get to Ali undetected. Or she could go in loud and fast. If she went in slow and they discovered her, there was a possibility that they would grab Ali and run before she could get to her. However, if she rushed in she may find herself in the middle of a trap with no way to escape. She had to assume that CADMUS would be expecting her at some point and had prepared accordingly.

In the end, Kara decided to play to her strength. Literally.

Launching into the sky, Kara flew a few thousand feet into the air before turning around and shooting back towards the earth. Keeping her target locked in, Kara punched through the roof and subsequent floors as easily as tearing through tissue paper. Pulling back on her speed, not wanting to overshoot her target, Kara landed with a thud. A shower of sparks, building debris, and water cascaded down around her. Not wanting to risk Ali's safety, Kara had aimed for the room adjacent to where Ali was being kept.

Kara punched through the connecting wall and stepped into the room.

The scene before her was almost enough to bring her to her knees. Ali was on a medical gurney, held in place by straps across her head, chest, and legs. Her arms, held immobile by the chest straps had a pair of IVs, one in the back of each hand, slowly administering their contents. Ali's distressed shrieks were loud enough that they almost drowned out the alarm klaxon that started sounding throughout the facility at Kara's arrival.

Kara rushed to Ali's side, barely resisting the urge to rip the offending IVs out. She didn't know what was in them, but considering the situation, she would wager it wasn't good. With gentle fingers she slowly withdrew the needles.

"Shhhh. Shhhh. I've got you, my sweet girl. Everything is going to be okay. I'm gonna get you out of here, and then we are going to go home. Would you like that? Your mommy is going to be so happy to see you."

Upon hearing her voice, Ali tried to turn her head, but the strap limited her movement. Frustrated, the volume of Ali's cries increased. Kara hurried to release the three restraints, but the process was slowed by fingers made clumsy in her haste.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity but was only a few seconds, Kara released the last strap and scooped Ali off of the cot, bringing the baby close, and cradling her against her chest. Ali let out a few hiccuping sobs before resting her head wearily on Kara's chest.

Heart swelling with an overwhelming sense of relief and love, Kara felt a few tears escape as she buried her face in Ali's mop of dark curls. Her hair was sweaty, but Kara didn't notice, content to greedily soak in the baby's solid presence.

"Well, you certainly know how to make an entrance."

Kara spun to face the door, holding Ali tightly to her chest. Ali gave a distressed whimper and clung tightly to Kara's front.

Kara always tried to keep her anger in check. If she allowed herself to get angry, truly angry, she risked losing control. Her control was the only thing that kept those around her safe from harm. The few times she let that control slip, the consequences had been grave. It wasn't until this moment that Kara truly understood what all-consuming rage really felt like. She thought that she felt it with Non, but she had been wrong.

The only thing holding her back from incinerating Lillian on the spot was the small child cradled snug against her chest. Even if Ali was likely too young to remember any of this, Kara didn't want to expose her to any more violence.

"Just let us go, Lillian. All I came here for was Ali." It killed Kara to offer the woman a chance to escape without repercussion. Every cell in her body was crying out that Lillian be brought to justice, and made to pay for her actions. However, the most important thing was getting Ali out of here safely.

If she could avoid it Kara didn't want to risk fighting her way through Lillian's henchmen.

"You know I can't do that," Lillian said mockingly. Her gaze shifted to Ali, her expression hardening with disgust. "The threat that thing represents is too real to ignore."

"She's a baby," Kara protested. "She's not a threat to anyone."

Lillian shook her head. "It's a bigger threat than you can possibly imagine." Lillian held out her hands. "Now hand it over, and I may let you leave here alive."

Kara pulled Ali tighter. "You'll have to kill me first." Kara knew she could leave the same way she had come in, but she was saving it as a last resort. While she was pretty certain that Ali would normally be able to withstand the trip, she didn't know if Lillian had done anything that could weaken her.

"Don't tempt me," Lillian threatened icily.

"Why did you take her in the first place?" Kara asked, trying to stall for time. The sound of gunshots from the upper floors signaled Alex's arrival.

Lillian eyed her suspiciously, probably trying to figure out Kara's angle. When Kara had scanned the area, she hadn't detected Hank Henshaw. If she had to gamble, she was willing to bet Lillian was also stalling for time. They both knew that CADMUS's human guards wouldn't pose much of a challenge for Kara, even with a baby slowing her down.

"As I said. It's the biggest threat that humanity has ever faced." Kara gritted her teeth at Lillian's continued use of 'it' to describe Ali, but let it pass. That wasn't what was important.

Kara scoffed. "She's an innocent child."

"It's an abomination! Do you have any idea what knowledge of its existence could mean? It would be the end of the human race as we know it."

Kara shook her head. "That particular cat is out of the bag. People already know aliens exist."

Lillian pointed at Ali. "That's not an alien. Or at least, not just an alien. Even if Lena hadn't insisted on flaunting it by taking it everywhere, do you think I wouldn't recognize the resemblance?"

"So what? You're upset that the precious Luthor bloodline was tainted with alien DNA?" Kara asked sarcastically.

"You think too small. It's so much bigger than that." Lillian shook her head. "What do you think would happen if people found out that they can inter-breed with aliens? That they could gain the abilities, and powers, that they so foolishly admire and revere in the likes of you and your cousin? That they could, in essence, become gods?"

"That's what you are so worried about?" Kara asked incredulously. "That humans and aliens may have children together?"

"What I'm worried about is the end of the human race. Once it starts, the end will be a foregone conclusion. Those of us that choose to remain pure will be outnumbered and overmatched. I can't allow that to happen."

"And you think kidnapping one baby is going to accomplish that?"

"Again, you think in such small terms. While Lena's lack of discretion was concerning in its own right, the larger goal was finding out a way to stop it from before it could begin."

Kara shook her head. "I don't understand."

"Of course you don't," Lillian sneered. "As I told Lena, Agent Henshaw unearthed some fascinating information when he interfaced with the Daxamite ship." Lillian pointed at Ali. "That, wouldn't be possible without a great deal of engineering. The DNA of humans isn't naturally compatible. It's only possible with a great deal of outside intervention. Further proof that it should be stopped."

"That technology doesn't even exist on Earth," Kara protested. "If that was your great concern, it's unfounded."

"I know you think humans are beneath you, but do you really think we are incapable of developing it? Once word got out, and it would, the race would be on. I needed an insurance policy. A way to break the bond between the strands."

Kara looked at Ali, laying trustingly on her chest, to the IV bag. "Medusa?" It was the only virus that Kara was aware of that would even begin to be capable of such a thing.

"Maybe you're not as stupid as I thought," Lillian said with a smirk.

Before she could stop herself she was across the room, grabbing Lillian by the throat and pushing her against the wall. Lifting her with one hand, she applied a small amount of pressure.

"How much did you give her?" Kara knew that even small doses of the virus could be fatal. Ali seemed fine, but Kara couldn't stop the panic clawing through her chest.

Even though she was pinned to the wall, Lillian remained unruffled. If she didn't currently want to snap the woman's neck, Kara could almost appreciated her calm under pressure. "Not enough, unfortunately." Lillian's voice came out a strangled gasp. Kara tightened her grip on Lillian's throat. "It hasn't worked," Lillian choked out. "Her human DNA is interfering with the virus."

"How can you be sure?" Kara demanded, not loosening her grip.

"She's not dead yet, is she?"

Forgetting her earlier vow, Kara tightened her grip even further. Kara took a grim sort of satisfaction when Lillian's mask of indifference finally cracked, and she started to claw ineffectual at Kara's grip.

"Supergirl! Put her down!" Kara registered Alex's voice, but she ignored the command and continued to stare impassively at Lillian as she struggled for breath. She didn't condone murder, but all she could see was the threat this woman posed to Ali. Lillian was a fanatic, an ideologue, no amount of reason would ever sway her opinion. As long as she was alive, Ali would be in danger.

"She needs to pay for what she's done."

"And she will. Put her down and let us bring her in."

Kara shook her head. "It's not good enough. She escaped before, what if she does it again? She's too great a threat."

"That's not for you to decide."

"I can't take the risk. She won't stop, Alex. She'll just keep trying until she succeeds."

"At least hand me the baby. She doesn't need to see this." That finally broke through Kara's haze, and she relaxed her grip enough to give Lillian some air, but not enough to free her. Looking down at Ali, Kara was met with trusting green eyes looking back at her. Kara let go of Lillian as though burned, stumbling back a step.

"Secure her! I want eyes on her at all times." Alex ordered. Cupping Kara's elbow she led Kara a short distance away to provide them with some semblance of privacy. The area was swarming with DEO agents, but most were too intent on their task to pay much attention.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked, eyes brimming with concern.

"I'm sorry," Kara choked out. "I just...she had her...and she wanted to...I was just so mad."

Glancing over Kara's shoulder, Alex saw they gurney, and her jaw tightened. "You stopped when it mattered. No one is going to hold it against you." Alex held out her hands. "Do you want me to take her?"

Kara backed away, holding Ali tightly to her chest. "No, I've got her." Kara didn't feel comfortable relinquishing Ali to anyone's care at the moment, not even Alex's. Alex dropped her hands, nodding in understanding.

"Let's get you two out of here. All that's left is clean-up and the rest of the team can handle that."

Kara nodded, more than ready to leave this place. "You need to bag the IVs."

Alex looked at her with a frown. "Why?"

Kara swallowed, throat tight with emotion. "She was dosing her with a modified strain of Medusa. Ali seems okay, but…."

Alex nodded. "I'll bag up everything." Alex stroked a hand over Ali's hair. The baby's eyes were drooping closed. "She's going to be okay, Kara. If we need to, we still have the antidote Mom engineered. Now come on, let's get you out of here. I'm sure Lena is going crazy waiting to hear what's going on."

* * *

Lena was used to handling herself in tense situations. You didn't get to be the head of a multi-billion dollar empire without learning how to direct your stress into other outlets. When all this was over, Lena was going to owe Maggie an apology.

"Why haven't they radioed in yet?" Lena demanded, her fingers digging grooves into Maggie's forearm. J'onn had given them permission to stay in the control room. Not that Lena was going to take no for an answer.

"They called in right before they breached the facility. It's protocol to stay radio silent until they have either secured their target or cleared the facility." Maggie covered Lena's hand with her own, but instead of trying to pry open the death grip, she patted it reassuringly. "Alex is very good at what she does."

"Why did Kara cut off her coms? Is that protocol too?"

Maggie paused. "No, that part isn't standard operating procedure."

"Then why would she do it?"

"Kara wouldn't have cut communication unless she had a good reason. If she'd run into trouble she would've called in. I'm sure everything is fine."

Lena wanted to be comforted by Maggie's calm assurance, but despite her best efforts, it wasn't working. Her anxiety had been growing minute by minute ever since Kara had left with the device. Every minute that passed without finding Ali serving to ratchet up her panic. What if she had been wrong about the scanner? What if she had failed?

Lena had felt a brief burst of hope when Kara called in to report that she had a possible location. That hope had quickly turned to confusion when Alex had started cursing only moments later. Kara had cut communication. Alex had contacted J'onn when they arrived at the warehouse but had been silent ever since. Not knowing what was happening, or if Ali and Kara were okay was driving Lena a little crazy. She was used to being in charge of situations.

"I don't know what I would do if anything happened to either of them," Lena confessed. Maggie wrapped her arm around Lena's shoulders and pulled her into a hug.

"Nothing is going to happen to them."

Another few nerve-racking minutes passed before Alex finally broke radio silence.

" _We have them. Ali is safe, and Lillian is secure."_

If Lena thought the waiting before had been bad, it was nothing compared to what she experienced now. No longer able to keep still, she was pacing restlessly back and forth. It wasn't that she didn't trust Alex when she said that Ali was okay, but she wouldn't be able to relax until she confirmed it with her own eyes.

When Kara set down on the balcony, Lena was by her side in a flash.

"Lena, she's oka-"

Lena collided with a force that would have knocked most people to the ground. Kara absorbed the impact without so much as a flinch. Lena wrapped one arm around Kara and rested her other hand on Ali's back. The baby was sleeping, cradled on Kara's left shoulder, and face tucked into Kara's neck.

"I love you so much," Lena whispered, kissing Ali on the side of her head. Lena ran her hand up the baby's back, over her head, and back down her back. She couldn't stop touching. The tight band that had constricted her chest for the last three days finally easing.

"Thank you so much," Lena said, dropping her head wearily on Kara's other shoulder. Kara rubbed a hand lightly on her back and Lena absorbed the comforting touch gratefully. Now that Ali was finally back, the adrenaline that had kept her going was gone and she was quickly crashing.

"Lena, you don't have to thank me," Kara scolded gently. "I would do anything for her. For either of you."

"She's okay?" Lena asked. Her hand resting in the middle of Ali's back, comforted by the warmth radiating off the baby and the steady, even thump of her heartbeat.

Lena felt Kara nod. "She's fine. Just tired from the ordeal." When Kara paused, Lena tore her eyes away from Ali to look up at her Kara. She frowned when she saw the shadow of concern in Kara's eyes.

"What is it?"

"We need to run some tests. Just to be safe," Kara hurried to explain after seeing the alarm in Lena's eyes.

"Tests? What kind of tests?" Lena pulled back, her expression hardening. "What did she do to her?"

"Nothing that worked," Kara promised. "Can we please talk about it later?" Lena wanted to press. It was clear that Kara was keeping something from her. It was equally clear that Ali appeared to be safe and healthy. Exhausted, but alive.

Reluctantly, Lena nodded her head. If something were wrong, Kara would tell her. If she insisted that Ali was safe, Lena believed her. Answers could wait. For now, she was content to bask in her daughter's presence.


	18. Home

Lena jerked awake, her heart racing. Ali.

It took her a moment to get her bearings, her heartbeat slowly returning to normal as she recognized the DEO medical bay. Ali rested peacefully on the bed next to her. Lena stood, stretching the kinks out of her back. Leaning over the safety rail, Lena brushed a hand lightly down the baby's back. Safe.

Lena had nodded off while waiting for the results of the tests that Alex had run on Ali's blood sample. Kara had continued to be vague about the reason, and Lena was growing impatient to know the full truth. Kara insisted that Ali was fine, but Lena wasn't going to be appeased much longer. She had a right to know what was going on.

Glancing at the clock, she suppressed a groan. 3 AM. Now that Ali was finally safe, Lena was anxious to return home. The sterile, institutional atmosphere of the DEO wasn't where she wanted Ali to wake up. Lena had no idea what she had experienced over the last few days, but Lena wanted her to be in familiar surroundings.

"Hey, you're awake," Kara said, stepping into the room. She had changed out of her suit and was wearing a set of sweats identical to Lena's.

Lena nodded and stepped away from the bed. "Did the test results come back yet? As much as I appreciate everything everyone has done, I would be lying if I said I didn't also want to get out of here."

"Oh, right." Kara nodded, a brief flash of hurt crossing her features. "Alex said she's all clear. No ill effects. A little dehydrated, but nothing too serious. A little rest, and a little time, and she will be back to 100%."

Lena sighed in relief. The last little bit of tension she had been holding onto finally seeping away. "So we can leave?"

Kara hesitated a moment, disappointment written across her face, before nodding. "Yeah. Of course. I...Did you need a ride? Or were you going to call your driver? Because I'm sure Alex and Maggie would be happy to give you a lift."

Lena looked at Kara in confusion, before realization dawned. "I actually wanted to ask if you wouldn't mind coming with us. I know that Lillian is safely locked up, but I would feel better if you were there. But I understand if you can't. You must be-"

"No! I..no. I would be happy to stay with you." Kara grinned bashfully. "It would make me feel better, to be honest. If you hadn't asked I probably would have ended up lurking outside your building."

Lena smiled, relieved. She knew she couldn't ask Kara to act as a safety blanket indefinitely, but for tonight at least, she needed the reassurance the other woman's presence would provide.

* * *

The minute she stepped foot in the apartment, Lena worried she had made a terrible mistake. Her apartment had always been her sanctuary from the outside world. The place where she could lock herself away and block out the distractions and demands that dominated her days. Now, all she felt was a rising tide of panic.

Instead of feeling safe, she was inundated with a series of memories. The sound of breaking glass. A moment of confusion. The fog of gas filling the living room. The desperation she felt trying to get to Ali. The paralyzing feeling of grief when she realized she had failed.

Lena tightened her grip on Ali, and turned, bumping into Kara, who was walking closely behind her.

"I don't think I can do this," Lena confessed, fighting to keep her voice even. "I think it would be better if I got a hotel room for the night. I can't be here." Lena was embarrassed by her weakness. It was just a place. Logically there was nothing to fear.

Kara placed her hands on Lena's shoulders, halting her escape. "Whatever you need." Kara bit her lip nervously. "We can go get a hotel room, or we can go back to my place? I still have some of the stuff I bought for Ali. It may be easier."

Lena nodded, not caring where they went, just so long as they got out of here.

* * *

Kara entered her apartment and turned on the light, ushering Lena inside before shutting the door. The first faint rays of sunlight were starting to brighten the sky. Kara was exhausted.

"Are you hungry?" Kara asked, shrugging out of her jacket and hanging it up. Kara held out her hands for Ali so that Lena could do the same. Kara felt a dull ache in her chest when Lena hesitated a moment before passing Ali over. The baby stirred and grumbled in her sleep. Kara shushed her gently and rubbed a hand over her back.

Lena shook her head. "Not really." Lena carried Ali's diaper bag over to the kitchen island and started to remove the contents. "We should probably feed her something though. Alex said it was important to keep her hydrated."

Kara wanted to keep holding Ali, but she could see the need to be close in Lena's eyes. "Here, you take the peanut and I'll make her bottle."

"Are you sure?" Lena asked, reaching out to accept Ali.

Kara nodded. "I'm sure." Kara smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Besides, you know how she can be when she first wakes up. You can be the one to deal with her temper while I remain safely in the kitchen."

Lena managed a small, exhausted smile in return. "Gladly."

Kara motioned her head toward the living room. "Go get comfortable. I'll be in as soon as the bottle is ready."

Kara watched the pair go with a pang. She wanted nothing more than to keep them as close as possible, and even the short distance from her kitchen to her couch seemed intolerable. Kara sighed, knowing that she was going to have to get used to it.

When the bottle was heated, Kara joined Lena on the couch.

"Look who's finally awake." Lena looked up with a full smile. Ali was resting on Lena's lap, facing her and grabbing at Lena's necklace.

"Hey, sweet pea. Did you have a good nap?" Kara sat beside Lena and her hand down the baby's back. At the sound of Kara's voice, Ali turned and started babbling happily.

"Someone's happy to see you."

"Not as happy as I am to see her." Ali's gaze landed on the bottle and she reached for it, making grabbing motions with her hands.

Lena laughed. "Good to know some things never change." Lena shifted Ali's position and cradled her in one arm. Once Ali was situated Kara handed the bottle to Lena. Ali latched on eagerly. Lena looked at Ali, her gaze full of love. Kara reached over, playing with Ali's foot. The need to maintain contact with Ali since finding her had been constant.

"Why won't you tell me what happened?" Lena demanded quietly.

Kara shifted, pulling back and scooting down the couch. "I did tell you."

Lena shook her head. "No. You told me that you found the building, and that you went in to get her, and that you confronted Lillian, but you have been extremely vague on the details."

Kara closed her eyes, not wanting to relive the moments in the basement. She had wanted to spare Lena the details. She told herself that Lena didn't need to know the particulars of what Lillian had done. It would serve no purpose but to cause Lena additional pain. Even though Lena insisted that Lillian was no longer her mother, Kara knew her feelings for the woman were complicated.

Lena drew a steadying breath. "I need to know what happened to her. The not knowing is worse."

Kara nodded. "Okay. I just...Can it wait until Ali is asleep? I can't…" Kara shook her head. "I don't want to talk about this with her here."

Unease flashed through Lena's eyes, and she instinctively pulled Ali closer. The baby grunted in protest but continued eating. "That bad?" Lena asked with a nervous laugh.

Kara looked at her seriously, a thin film of tears in her eyes. "It was awful," Kara confessed softly.

Lena clenched her jaw, looking back at Ali. "But she's safe now. You got her back."

"She's safe." Kara slid closer to Lena. "And I'll always get her back."

* * *

Lena tucked the blanket around Ali and stepped slowly away from the playpen, not wanting to wake the baby. The faint rays of dawn had given way to the golden glow of early morning. Despite the flood of light, Lena felt sleep calling to her. Brushing off her fatigue, she joined Kara in the living room.

The blonde was sitting on the couch, twisting her hands nervously in her lap. Lena still wanted, no needed, answers, but seeing Kara's distress gave her pause. Kara had seen a lot of horror in her life, for something to leave her this shaken, it must have been truly unsettling.

Lena sat beside Kara, close enough that their legs were touching. Lena had a feeling she was going to need the comfort of Kara's physical presence to get through this. Lena covered Kara's hand with her own, stilling the nervous fidgeting.

"What happened?" Lena asked quietly.

Kara bit her lip, tears filling her eyes almost immediately. "I was almost ready to give up," Kara confessed shamefully. "I had checked everywhere, and still nothing. Then I heard it. I was supposed to wait for backup to arrive." Kara shook her head. "I couldn't wait.

They had her in the basement. All alone. There were guards, but none in the room with her. She was crying." A tear fell from Kara's eye and Lean brushed it away with her thumb. As hard as it was for her to hear this, she could only imagine what Kara had gone through experiencing it.

"She was so upset, Lena. I couldn't leave her there another second. I just couldn't."

"Of course you couldn't. No one blames you for that."

"Alex wasn't too happy with me."

"Alex isn't a parent." Lena rubbed her hand over Kara's back. "I would have done the same thing." Kara nodded, leaning into Lena's side.

"I'm not a parent either." Lena thought she detected a bit of wistfulness in Kara's tone.

"Maybe not technically, but it's obvious you love her just as much." Kara nodded against Lena's shoulder. Lena was anxious to know the rest, but she didn't want to push Kara. Content for the moment just to sit and draw comfort from each other.

"She was strapped down to a gurney. IVs poking out of her arms. She looked so small and helpless. When she heard my voice she tried to turn to see me and she couldn't." Kara's voice broke, tears now falling freely. "She's just a baby. How could they do that?"

Lena felt tears spill from her own eyes. Her stomach roiled with nausea, picturing the scene. She felt the almost overwhelming need to apologize. It didn't take a genius to know who had been behind Ali's treatment. Even though she knew she wasn't responsible for Lillian's actions, she couldn't help but feel the guilt of association.

"I don't know," Lena answered brokenly, even though the question had rhetorical.

Kara wiped the tears from Lena's cheeks. "We can stop if you want to. We don't need to finish this now."

Lena shook her head. Now that they had started, she needed this to be done. She needed to put it behind her, and focus on moving forward. While what Kara had revealed so far had been upsetting, she had a feeling that the worst was yet to come.

"I got her off the gurney and was trying to decide the safest way to get out of there with here when Lillian showed up." Lena saw Kara's eyes go cold. "I offered to let her go if she just let us leave. She refused."

"Why did she want her?" Lena asked. The answer to this question was the crux of it all. Why had Lillian taken Ali?

"She was afraid that once people learned about the possibility of alien-human hybrids, people would be eager to cross-breed in order to get enhanced powers. She thought it would be the end of the human race."

Lena's mind race, trying to connect the dots, but her sleep-deprived mind unable to. "I still don't…"

Kara drew a shuddering breath. "She needed to find a way to break down the DNA structures of hybrids. A way to break the engineered bonds between human and alien helices."

"She needed a guinea pig," Lena whispered in horrified understanding. Even at her darkest moments, Lillian hadn't imagined that Lillian would actually try to kill Ali. Some small part of Lena had wanted to believe she wouldn't be capable of harming an innocent baby, regardless of her parentage. That part of Lena was dead.

Kara nodded. "She was working on a modified strain of Medusa." Lena jumped up, instinctively needing to go to Ali, to make sure she was healthy. Kara grabbed her by the hand, halting her flight. "She's okay, Lena. It didn't work."

Lena looked nervously towards Kara's bedroom. "I promise," Kara repeated. "Those were the tests that Alex had to run. I made her double and triple check. The virus didn't have any effect on her."

Lena allowed herself to be pulled back down to the couch.

"Her human DNA was causing problems, and they hadn't figured out how to engineer it properly. She's perfectly fine."

Lena bowed her head, chin resting on her chest. "I hate her," she murmured.

Kara wrapped Lena in a hug, pulling her close. Lena rested her head on Kara's chest, Kara's heartbeat acting like a metronome to focus her fractured emotions. Lena brought her hand up to play with the end of Kara's hair.

"I almost killed her," Kara confessed. "When she told me what she had planned, I just...I lost it. I had her pinned to the wall by her throat, and if Alex hadn't shown up when she did…"

"I wish you had," Lena said coldly.

Kara shook her head. "No. If I had, everything she feared about aliens would be justified. As much as I just wanted to eliminate the threat to Ali, Alex was right. It isn't my place."

"They'll keep her locked up?" Lena asked, worried.

"I made them promise me that they wouldn't turn her over to the human authorities. We played by the rules the first time, and she escaped. It's not perfect, but it's a compromise I can live with."

"If she knows what's good for her, she won't try to escape again," Lena muttered. If they could keep Lillian secure, fine, but if not then Lena was willing to take the matter into her own hands. She would not allow the woman to hang as a constant threat over her daughter's head.

Lena yawned loudly, her jaw cracking.

"You need to rest," Kara fretted. "Why don't you take the bed and I'll crash out here on the couch."

"I'm not the only one that needs to rest," Lena protested. "I'm not letting you sleep on the couch while I take your bed."

"It's fine, really. I fall asleep out here all the time."

Lena stood on unsteady legs. She tugged on Kara's hand. "C'mon. Your bed is plenty big enough."

"Are you sure? I really don't mind."

Lena nodded. Truth be told, she wasn't quite ready to give up the reassurance of Kara's presence. As tired as she was, she worried that she wouldn't be able to fully relax enough to fall asleep.

Lena excused herself to the bathroom so she could change into a pair of borrowed pair of pajamas. A pair of shorts and a t-shirt that smelled like Kara. Entering the bedroom Lena saw that Kara had drawn the heavy drapes over her windows, shrouding the room in dim shadows. Kara was laying on the far side of the bed, hands folded together on her chest and staring up at the ceiling.

Lena crept across the floor, mindful of Ali's sleeping form a few feet away. She peeked into the playpen on the way past and was relieved to see Ali still sleeping peacefully. Reaching the bed, Lena drew back the covers and slid into the cool sheets.

She nestled into the pillow, trying to find a comfortable spot. After a few minutes, Lena turned onto her side. The feeling of the bed was unfamiliar, and Lena sighed in frustration.

"Are you okay?" Kara asked quietly. Kara hadn't moved a muscle since Lena entered the bed, and Lena had thought she was asleep.

"I'm sorry," Lena apologized. "I can't get comfortable. I don't want to keep you awake. I'll just go out to the couch." Lena pulled back the covers and started to slide out of bed. Kara grabbed her hand and pulled her back into the bed.

"Stay," she commanded softly. Lena hesitated, before laying back down. She turned her head on the pillow so she was facing Kara.

"You need to rest," Lena protested.

"So do you. Roll over." Lena hiked her eyebrows in question. Kara rolled her eyes and pushed on her shoulder. "Just do it."

Lena complied, not entirely sure what Kara had in mind, but she trusted Kara implicitly. Lena's eyes fluttered closed when she felt Kara scratch lightly over her back.

"Eliza used to do this when I had a hard time falling asleep. When I first arrived on Earth everything was so overwhelming. Just focus on the feeling of touch, let everything else fade into the background."

Lena wanted to tell Kara that this probably wouldn't have the relaxing effect that Kara was hoping, but she was asleep before she got the chance.

* * *

Lena draped an arm across her eyes, trying to block out the sunlight intent on ruining her sleep. She grumbled and rolled over onto her stomach, burying her face under her pillow. She froze when she registered that she wasn't in her own bed. She was surrounded by the smell of citrus and spice. Kara.

Slowly, memories of last night came into clear focus, the haziness of sleep fading. She pulled her head out from under her pillow and looked to her left. Empty. Hearing a giggle coming from the living room, she threw back the covers. Lena made a quick detour to the bathroom before following the sounds to the living room.

Lena smiled at the scene, her heart filling with love. Kara had pushed her coffee table out of the way and was stretched out on her stomach, facing Ali who was in a similar position.

"No more holding out on me. I know you can do this. I have the video to prove it." Kara waved Ali's favorite toy a few inches in front of her face, enticing the baby.

Ali squawked unhappily, reaching out for the toy that was frustratingly out of her range.

"Kara, stop teasing my daughter," Lena instructed, stepping over Kara's prone form to settle on the couch.

Kara scrambled onto her hands and knees, scooping Ali off the floor, and settling beside Lena on the couch. Ali grabbed the toy out of Kara's hand and chewed contentedly on the stuffed dog's ear.

"That's new," Kara said with a smile, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Lena looked at Ali fondly. "It is. I realized I was letting my memories of the past dictate my life, and life is just too short." Lena ran a hand through Ali's curls. "I love her. I love her more than I ever thought it was possible to love anyone, and it's time I stopped trying to keep myself safe from hurt by trying to deny that."

"I'm happy for you….Mom." Kara teased.

Lena grimaced. "Don't call me that. It just sounds weird coming from you."

Kara laughed. "I think it's cute." Kara bounced the baby on her lap. "Do you want any coffee? I made a pot when I woke up and it should still be warm."

"Bless you," Lena said fervently. She started to rise, but Kara motioned her to stay seated.

"I'll get it." Kara kissed Ali on the cheek, before handing her over to Lena. "Be good for your mom," Kara instructed with a twinkle. Lena groaned, causing Kara to laugh again.

Lena cuddled with Ali on the couch until Kara returned with her coffee. Lena sandwiched the baby on the couch between them and accepted the cup from Kara with a grateful smile.

"What time is it?" she asked with a yawn.

"Almost 1:30." Lena looked at Kara in shock. She never slept that late. Not even when she was sick. "Ali woke up around 11, but I wanted to let you sleep."

"Thank you." Lena took a sip of her coffee. "I'm sorry we took up most of your day. I'll get myself together and get out of your hair. We've imposed on you long enough." Lena wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of the day with Kara. She had missed this so much, but she knew she had to face her fears and get back to her apartment.

Lena expected Kara to brush off her apology with a playful protest. To her surprise, Kara pushed off the couch angrily.

"I really wish you would stop saying that. You aren't an imposition. Ali isn't an imposition. If I could, I would spend every minute with you two and it still wouldn't feel like enough."

"Kara, I didn't mean-"

"Why can't you understand that this isn't a burden to me? That you aren't a burden to me. If anything had happened to Ali…" Kara shook her head, her voice choking up. "I don't know what I would have done. I've missed her so much."

"You have a funny way of showing it," Lena snapped before she could stop herself. She thought she had worked through her feelings of hurt toward Kara basically cutting off contact after she moved out, but apparently, she was wrong.

Kara recoiled from the accusation in Lena's tone. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Since she had already opened the door, Lena figured they may as well walk through it and deal with what was on the other side. "If you missed her so much, why didn't you try to see after you moved out? You seemed perfectly happy to get back to your old life."

Kara darted her eyes away, unwilling to meet Lena's gaze. "I wanted to see her. I wanted to see her all the time. I just thought it would be better if I kept my distance. So everyone could adjust."

Lena scoffed. "Kara, I know you love her. But you can also admit that you were happy to get your life back."

"It wasn't like that," Kara protested, frustrated.

"Then explain it to me? If you wanted to see her so much, why did you practically disappear from her life?"

Kara stopped her pacing and sank back onto the couch, propping her elbows on her knees and dropping her head into her hands. Kara shook her head. "I didn't want to have this conversation like this. It was supposed to be different."

"What conversation?" Lena coaxed, her voice gentler.

"I didn't mean to disappear," Kara insisted. "And it wasn't because I was relieved. I missed you both so much." Kara sighed. "But I needed time to figure some stuff out. To be sure of what I was feeling before I did anything." Kara looked at Lena imploringly. "You mean so much to me Lena. I didn't want to do anything to risk that."

Lena's heart started to race in her chest. She was pretty sure she knew where this conversation may be headed, but at the same time she was afraid to get her hopes up.

"What did you need to figure out?"

Ali threw her toy onto the floor and cried in frustration. Lena bent down absently and returned the toy to the baby.

"You mentioned earlier, about life being too short to live in fear of the past." Lena nodded encouragingly, urging Kara to continue. Kara looked at her, biting her lip. "This is harder than I thought it would be," Kara confessed.

Lena picked Ali up, and placed her on her lap, scooting until she was sitting beside Kara on the couch. "Whatever you have to tell me, I promise that we'll be fine."

Kara nodded. "I haven't had the best track record with relationships. Everything works so differently on Earth, and it's….it's all very confusing." Kara paused. "I almost dated James, did you know that?"

Lena hesitated, before nodding her head. "Maggie mentioned something about it during game night."

"It was a disaster," Kara admitted with a self-deprecating laugh. "I had spent months crushing on him, convinced that he was right for me. We kissed and it was just….It was clear that it wasn't going to work out. I love him dearly, but not like that.

We're still friends but it was so awkward for a long time. I wasn't sure we were going to be able to work through it. James means a lot to me, it would have been devastating to lose his friendship."

"I'm glad you two were able to work it out," Lena said sincerely. As someone with very few, exactly one, close friends, it was a fear that Lena understood. It was part of what had kept her from revealing her own feelings to Kara.

"As hard as it would have been to get over losing James as a friend, I could have done it." Kara turned her head and met Lena's gaze. "I don't think I could get over losing you."

Lena let out the breath she had been holding. Even suspecting where Kara was leading, hearing it confirmed still left her slightly stunned. Kara had feelings for her. More than friend feelings. Lena wondered if it was possible she was still dreaming.

Kara continued to look at her, slightly fearful, and Lena realized that she had to say something. "Kara, you're not the only one that has been afraid to tell a friend how you were really feeling."

Lena almost laughed when Kara looked at her, shocked, mouth slightly agape. "You have feelings? For me?" Kara clarified.

At Kara's stunned tone, Lena did let a small laugh escape. "Well, I don't have any other friends, so…"

"That's not true," Kara protested automatically. "I think both Maggie and Alex consider you a friend now. And Winn. Probably not James, but he'll come around with a little bit more time."

"Kara," Lena interrupted amused, "do you want me to have feelings for your sister, or her girlfriend." Lena didn't even dignify the suggestion of Winn. He seemed like a perfectly lovely man, but he was so far from Lena's type as to be laughable.

"What? No! Of course not," Kara scrambled to assure Lena, flustered.

"Well, good. Because I don't. I have feelings for you." It was both a relief and terrifying, to finally say it out loud. Even knowing that Kara felt, or might feel the same way.

Kara looked at Lena, uncertain. "What do we do now?"

Lena smiled gently. "We have a few options. We can ignore it, play it safe, not risk our friendship, and try to put it behind us." Lena said try because she wasn't sure she would ever be able to fully put her feelings for Kara behind her. Especially not now that she knew there was a possibility the other woman felt the same.

Kara frowned, and Lena laughed. "Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of that option either."

"What's the other option?"

"We give it a try. See if there is more here than friendship."

Kara bit her lip, looking hopeful, but cautious. "What if it doesn't work out? I was so sure about James...before…" Kara shook her head. "Or what if it works for awhile, and then something goes wrong?"

Lena reached around Ali and grabbed Kara's hand. "Kara, I can't promise you that we're going to be together forever. We haven't even been on a date yet," Lena said with an amused smile. "What I can promise is that, no matter what, we will always be part of each other's lives." Lena nodded down toward her lap at Ali. "Even if I wanted to, which I wouldn't, I would never cut you out of her life."

Lena could see Kara was still unsure. She released her hand and leaned back, giving Kara time, and space to process. As much as she wanted to explore the possibility of something more with Kara, she didn't want to pressure her into it.

Kara looked at Lena, licking her lips nervously. "I want to do it." Kara blushed. " I mean, I want to give it a try. You and me. A date. I want to go on a date," Kara stammered.

Lena smiled, oddly charmed by the fact that the most powerful being on the planet was this nervous at the thought of taking her on a date. "I'd like that."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Lena confirmed, nodding. "Although, if I may make a suggestion?" Kara nodded eagerly. "I've found that sometimes the anticipation of something, can make you much more anxious than the actual thing."

Kara frowned. "I'm not sure I follow."

Lena smirked. "You look a little nervous." In truth, Lena was a little afraid Kara might pass out. "You mentioned James a few times."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. That was probably weird."

"Kara. It's fine. My point is that the thing you sounded most concerned about was that things between us would fizzle out the same way. That we wouldn't have any chemistry."

Kara nodded.

"So let's get it out of the way. If it's a dud, we'll know and we can put it behind us." Lena was pretty sure that it wasn't going to be a dud. She also acknowledged that she wasn't just doing this for Kara's benefit. Knowing that Kara returned her feelings she wasn't sure she was going to be able to wait until they managed a proper date.

The week ahead was bound to be busy, and hectic, and Lena figured it would be next weekend at the earliest before they could even think about setting something up. Once Lena knew what she wanted, she wasn't the most patient person.

"Kiss? Like right now?" Kara asked, looking slightly alarmed at the prospect.

"No time like the present." Lena shrugged. "I'm a scientist. We form hypotheses and test them." She was trying to present a calm facade to Kara, but in reality, it felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest.

Kara hesitated but appeared to come to a decision, and nodded her head, scooting even closer. Kara reached up, brushing a strand of Lena's hair out of her face. Kara leaned in, hesitating when her lips were centimeters from Lena's. Lena was tempted to close the distance herself, but she was determined to let Kara set the pace.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, but was in reality only a second, maybe two, Kara closed the final gap. Lena's eyes fluttered closed, and she leaned into the contact. Lena felt the hand that Kara had used to brush her hair back wrap lightly around the back of neck. The kiss wasn't passionate, but it wasn't exactly chaste either.

Lena pulled back, breaking the contact. She watched as Kara's eyes slowly blinked open. She took no small amount of pride in the fact that Kara's gaze was unfocused and slightly dazed.

"So what's the verdict?" Lena asked.

"Verdict?" Kara asked blankly.

"Was it a dud?"

"Dud?" Kara frowned, shaking her head lightly. Her expression cleared and she smiled at Lena. "No. I can safely say that wasn't a dud."

"So the date is still on?"

Kara nodded emphatically. "Definitely." Kara paused, looking at Lena playfully. "Although…"

"Although?" Lena asked arching her eyebrow.

"Should we run more tests? You know, just to be safe. No good scientist stops at one experiment. You have to be able to repeat the results."

Lena smirked. "I like the way you think." Lena leaned forward, her lips barely making contact when an unhappy cry reminded them of Ali's presence. Lena pulled back, looking down at Ali contritely. "I'm sorry sweetie. Are you unhappy we're ignoring you?"

"I think she's unhappy we're squishing her," Kara pointed out.

"Good point." Lena scooted reluctantly back, giving Ali a bit of breathing room. "Raincheck?"

Kara nodded. "She's going to be ready to go down for her nap pretty soon."

Lena smiled. "Perfect."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that, we come to the end. As always, thanks to everyone who has read and left feedback and kudos along the way. It is greatly appreciated. Comments make the world go round.


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